And this is your film critic du jour. Mind the cilia.
Dune (2021) is one of the slickest examples of space opera ever made. A space opera, for me, involves one or more fictional empires based on one or more fictional planets, possibly in other galaxies or a fictional universe. Much like the Roman Empire, space operas involve empires, often autocratic, full of ambitious characters, filled with swirling rip-currents of politics, leaders whose view of their position includes little of standard morality with an inclination towards power and wealth and influence, existential enemies who are outside looking in, and many other titanic elements, and, at least in the better ones, how the individual copes with the many reasons to act in the worst ways.
And in most of these there’s a MacGuffin, a thing that promises to change the game.
Can’t think of any offhand? Try Star Wars (1977) and its various sequels, prequels, all in pursuit of the Force, along with imitators, from the last generation; a couple of generations prior to that there was Flash Gordon, featuring Ming the Merciless, and whatever it was (I forget) that would neutralize the evil Ming.
Dune pits House Harkonnen against House Atreides. The former has the rights to the planet Dune, from which the MacGuffin psychotropic travel drug called spice, is extracted, amidst various local dangers. The emperor has decreed these rights now belong to House Atreides. But it’s all a plot to cripple or even destroy House Atreides, it turns out, and soon enough Harkonnen returns in force.
Despite the slaughter, two members of Atreides survive, the wife and son of the Lord of Atreides, and it’s their journey into the power of the locals, the Fremen, and the local wildlife, that occupies our attention.
That’s Part One.
Is it good? Oh, it’s not bad, but it seemed to drag on and on. The personal battleshields were under explained, while the battle scenes can drag a bit. It can be predictable, and good characters die, perhaps too easily. My Arts Editor told me not to pause it when she headed for the bathroom during said battle scenes.
But if you have a spare three hours, it’s not the worst possible way to occupy those hours.
The original (?) with none other than Sting himself playing the masochistic Phade (in a little Speedo, dude was ripped!) was a source of much mirth for my son and me. Will have to check this one out.
And Kyle MacLachlan, later of Twin Peaks and Firefly, played the lead.