I have only seen a few of Denis Villeneuve's works such as Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival. Both were visually stunning, so that was already expected when I in front of the movie screen waiting for Dune to begin. I knew nothing about Dune except a vague memory of a CGI giant sandworm featured in the 90s movie dubbed in Thai; a language I didn't understand at all. I was not a fan of Timothy Chalamet nor was I big on Zendaya so my expectations were pretty low. But I was surprised to see Jason Momoa, who stole the show. Oscar Isaac was brilliant as the father of Chalamet's character. He was noble but relatable. In fact, everyone in the cast was great. Chalamet proved he was a decent actor (to me) but Zendaya did not have much to do but stare into the audience or Chalamet, but her character did seem quite interesting despite having a few lines of dialogue. I wish Bautista had more screen time, he has a presence to him. Stellan Skarsgard is quite a menacing villain despite hardly moving. Josh Brolin was also great as Duncan, the trainer of Chalamet's character. The only weak point was Rebecca Ferguson's character, whom I feel is a bit inconsistent. Her character seems to veer from helpless in her scenes in her home but strong when she fights.
I must say the fight scenes and the sci fi elements in the fight make it feel more grounded and realistic than Star Wars. You feel hits in the fight, and feel the stakes. Being used to laser portrayed as colorful lights flashing in Star Wars, the laser in this movie is seen as more menacing. And the notorious sandworm is captured perfectly. Its menacing presence is felt, and its entrance is both spectacular and majestic. Villeneuve shows you why it is referred as The Hand of God by its characters. Every time it shows, you feel its power. I don't think any sci fi movie managed to make a sci fi monster as threatening and majestic as Villeneuve's sandworm. Storywise, Villeneuve took time for us to know who the characters are and what is going on. Once the action starts, it does not let up. Though the ending may be like a cliffhanger, it does not leave you hanging. You feel that a chapter has concluded satisfactorily, and you are ready for more. The post-credit scene, unlike Marvel, made you thirst for more. Villeneuve knows how to hook the audience with how to tell the story, and his pacing is consistent but does not feel dragged. The cinematography is just excellent. It feels real despite being literally otherworldly. I think we should make a rule that any movie with a name you cannot pronounce would be a good movie. Denis Villeneuve is one prime example.
I must say the fight scenes and the sci fi elements in the fight make it feel more grounded and realistic than Star Wars. You feel hits in the fight, and feel the stakes. Being used to laser portrayed as colorful lights flashing in Star Wars, the laser in this movie is seen as more menacing. And the notorious sandworm is captured perfectly. Its menacing presence is felt, and its entrance is both spectacular and majestic. Villeneuve shows you why it is referred as The Hand of God by its characters. Every time it shows, you feel its power. I don't think any sci fi movie managed to make a sci fi monster as threatening and majestic as Villeneuve's sandworm. Storywise, Villeneuve took time for us to know who the characters are and what is going on. Once the action starts, it does not let up. Though the ending may be like a cliffhanger, it does not leave you hanging. You feel that a chapter has concluded satisfactorily, and you are ready for more. The post-credit scene, unlike Marvel, made you thirst for more. Villeneuve knows how to hook the audience with how to tell the story, and his pacing is consistent but does not feel dragged. The cinematography is just excellent. It feels real despite being literally otherworldly. I think we should make a rule that any movie with a name you cannot pronounce would be a good movie. Denis Villeneuve is one prime example.
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