3 minute read
“Dune”
IT’S NO EASY TASK TO POPULATE AN ADAP-
tation of Frank Herbert’s “Dune,” one of the most adored, influential sci-fi epics of the 20th century. That Denis Villeneuve’s new film version manages to capture the cerebral, dreamy world of the 1965 novel is partly due to the director’s visionary skill; but it’s also thanks to the talent of the sprawling ensemble, spread across three planets, from royal courts to desert wastelands.
It’s tricky to be brief when describing the premise of Herbert’s tale, but here goes: In the far future, a vast empire controls the galaxy. The emperor sends one of his feudal lords, Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), to rule Arrakis, a desert planet whose main export, the mysterious “spice,” is the most highly prized substance in the kingdom. Leto’s consort, Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), belongs to a powerful mystical sisterhood called the Bene Gesserit. Their son, Paul (Timothée Chalamet), has a magical destiny that’s drawing him toward the Fremen, the native tribes of Arrakis. Meanwhile, the planet’s former overseer, Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård), is plotting to win back his prize—and he doesn’t care how many lives he has to take along the way.
Casting directors Jina Jay and Francine Maisler knew what they were doing when they picked the film’s chosen one. Oscar nominee Chalamet has always been skilled at conveying a mixture of gravitas and boyish petulance, and he strikes the perfect balance as Paul: Our hero has the makings of a charismatic, quasi-magical leader, but he’s also just a rich kid with a chip on his shoulder. There’s something uncanny and ethereal about Chalamet’s performance, which sells the premise of a teenager who’s destined for messiah status.
Trust a star like Isaac to play Leto, a man carrying a heavy burden but trying to do so with as much grace as possible. But the stealth power player in the family is Jessica, a woman of formidable strength who must hide behind a veil of femininity. With all its contradictions, it’s a difficult part to handle; Ferguson is just the performer to play such an enigma, showing the rage, fear, and intelligence that lies just beneath the surface of Jessica’s studied public face.
The members of the Atreides court provide a warm contrast to the composed family, particularly Jason Momoa and Josh Brolin as Duncan Idaho and Gurney Halleck, the leaders of Leto’s fighting forces; they’re hardened badasses, but the two actors also give them charm to spare. Chang Chen, meanwhile, strikes a quietly tragic figure as the Atreides’ personal doctor.
Then there are the Fremen, who, though only appearing briefly in Part One (trust that they’ll be a much larger presence in the sequel), leave a lasting impression. Academy Award winner Javier Bardem is captivatingly weird in his handful of scenes as Fremen leader Stilgar, projecting a sense of authority that stands in stark contrast to the nobility’s style. As ecologist Dr. Kynes, Sharon Duncan-Brewster is as mysterious as she is magnetic. And though we only really meet her at the end of the film, we can’t wait to see more of Emmy winner Zendaya as young warrior Chani.
Also milking their brief screen time are an almost unrecognizable Skarsgård as the odious, (literally) oily Harkonnen; and Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling as the Reverend Mother of the Bene Gesserit, a woman who’s as intimidating as she is brittle.
No spoilers, but not everyone makes it out of Part One of “Dune” alive; we’re very much looking forward to seeing the surviving ensemble ride the proverbial sandworm in the 2023 sequel. —JENNA SCHERER
MAIN CAST:Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista, Josh Brolin, Timothée Chalamet, Chang Chen, David Dastmalchian, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Rebecca Ferguson, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Charlotte Rampling, Stellan Skarsgård, Zendaya CASTING BY:Jina Jay and Francine Maisler DIRECTED BY: Denis Villeneuve WRITTEN BY: Eric Roth, Jon Spaihts, and Denis Villeneuve (based on the novel by Frank Herbert) DISTRIBUTED BY: Warner Bros. Pictures
CHIABELLA JAMES
