Dune starring Timothy Chamalette is a sci-fi film and the first of a series. The movie is based on the novel by Frank Herbert where Paul Atreides, a young prodigy, learns about who he is and his heritage coming from two separate, distinct worlds. The movie really emphasizes Paul’s character development and his personal relationships with his family and his enemies. The director, Denis Villeneuve, did a great job with the setting and cinematography. It became increasingly clear, through the desert landscapes and the elaborate sets that Dune had a very large budget. Flashbacks through the form of visions had a large role in the plot and they were visually represented quite well. There is no need to explicitly state the fact that Paul has visions, because they are shown to the viewer in a way that makes them feel like dreams and not real events.

Jason Mamoa, playing Duncan Idaho, is cast perfectly for the role of a strong, friendly, and lovable soldier. His scenes were some of the funniest of the movie, which are few and far between. The extension of his character could have added greatly to this movie. The general lack of comic relief throughout the movie made the two and a half hours drag at times. Especially in a desolate environment where the movie takes place, there needed to be more charisma to balance the bleak nature of the setting.

The beginning of the movie did a commendable job concisely describing the main characters, giving the viewer broad overviews of their disposition and stature while also leaving so much to be revealed later in the film. The scenes with Paul’s mother, Lady Jessica, played by Rebecca Fergusen, are some of the best in the movie. The amazing surround sound audio in theaters truly makes the scenes with Jessica’s mother feel immersive. Those scenes perfectly exemplify how much better it is to see a movie in theaters rather than at home.

Going into the theater, I wish I had known the plans for a sequel as the end truly let me down. I expected some huge elaborate fight scenes and the conflict to be resolved, but that was anti-climatic. The conclusion of the film seemed rushed and unsatisfying. Although the movie had a couple factors that kept it from a five star rating, it actually exceeded my expectations.  I am not a fan of Sci-Fi but I definitely recommend seeing this movie in theaters and I am excited for the sequel. You can watch Dune both in theaters and on HBO Max.