Cameron O'Connell

Not sure how a movie this long could feel so rushed, and yet…here we are. Aesthetically, this may be one of the greatest films I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, we spent a rather long time reinforcing that with shot after loving shot of glorious landscapes and iconic ships when we might have spent a little more time on what Dune (the novel) did so well: developing relationships and creating intrigue. The result? A stunning masterpiece that tried to do a whole lot in a relatively short span using whatever means necessary (including hallucinations with philosophical ramifications and info-laden voiceovers), thereby sacrificing tension for moving the plot along. Which, it must be said, may all be forgiven/forgotten when viewed in tandem with Part Two, provided they actually take their time. Or so I hope, anyway.