Rhythmic tension, and human expression.
Dune is full of extraordinary sound design. From the environment to the music, the dialogue that stands on its own pedestal of greatness, which I’ll discuss shortly. But sound is not only designed well, it is essential to this film. I should preface that I am unfamiliar with the Dune book series. This is really my first exposure to this story. But in this movie sound is a revolving door of story elements. One after another story beat revolves around sound in some way. The sandworms that live in the titular Dune (on the planet of Arrakis) are drawn to rhythmic sounds. So there is technology created to draw them to a certain place, and methods created to avoid it. It’s a really interesting source of danger and threat. And there are more examples of similar uses of sound throughout the film. One such example, which is referred to as “the voice,” is a special voice that a group of manipulative people (the Bene Gesserit) use to control others. And it’s conveyed in a very interesting way through the sound design. It particularly stands out when used in moments of tension.
Hans Zimmer’s score is absolutely beautiful. It melds with the environment in a way that I could hardly recognize the score from the sounds made by those in the film. It was so well integrated, even in the moments that it didn’t blend with the environment into the film that I can only really remember one distinct music piece from the whole film. Though there was plenty of music to be heard throughout. But that one piece, the one that cemented the score as one of my all time favorites. I won’t approach spoilers, but there is a very distinct musical motif used to introduce a particular group, and it was used in the scenes leading to their death. It was tragically poetic. The main character Paul experiences dreams and visions throughout the film. And in those the score becomes an ethereal contemplation on what we see. Even more impactfully ethereal, to the point of surreal, in both imagery and music when you slowly begin to figure out that his visions are metaphorical in what they show. And it brings you into this unforgiving dreamscape in a brilliant way.
The acting is essential to this film's success. Each character was casted to perfection by Jina Jay, and Francine Maisler (Casting Department) and I have no doubts that Denis Villeneuve was very involved in the casting process. But it is genuinely astonishing that all these actors bring their best to the table for a movie that could’ve gone very south. However, with a cast all bringing their A game and Villeneuve directing with a contemplated ferocity that rivals the greats of film making. This film turned out to be one of the best of the year. It is truly acted to perfection. Before I get to the ladder part of my opening sentence I’d like to discuss the dialogue in this film. Much of the dialogue is spoken in different languages, the language of the Arrakis native people (Fremen), English spoken by the main character Paul’s people. As well as the voice which I mentioned earlier, and a version of sign language. And that is not all the languages spoken. But they are the most common. This movie uses all these languages to bridge gaps between characters, as well as build walls between some of them. Though that second one doesn’t happen too often it is interesting nonetheless. However the most important language in the film is not really a language at all.
That language is facial expressions (Technically a body language). But it is in the facial expressions of these actors, these characters (The lines between the two are incredibly blurry in a very praiseworthy way) that the most communication happens. I am aware that that sounds like it's just good acting. Which it is, but it is also different in this movie to many. This film spends a lot of time explaining its world and its characters, and everything in between. And it does so very well, using the story to tell us, instead of telling us the story. But it doesn’t get carried away in that process to tell us what the characters are thinking. It shows us what they think, what they feel in their faces. And only in their voices if that is the only way to communicate it, or the best way. It uses facial expressions and dialogue interchangeably to tell the story. I find that beautiful. It captivated my every thought when I noticed it. It compelled me to write these very words. That observation was what made me adore this movie. Even thinking about it now I am floored by the way the faces of the characters communicate with each other, and to the audience. There are also a lot of masks in this film. Used to separate the characters who need to emote from the ones who don’t, so that we can focus on what we are supposed to as the viewers. A wonderful use of the world’s inherent design for both the characters and settings to better understand the characters within it.
Dune makes a desert in a sci-fi world interesting. A feat many cannot accomplish. Villeneuve and cinematographer Greig Fraser make each shot intentional in the titular Dune. Everything matters, and everything is interesting to look at. The Dune, in its danger, attracts you. It pulls you in through all the aspects surrounding it. The characters, music, social aspects, the design of the ships and the buildings, and the creatures too. Everything makes the dessert more interesting than most other sci-fi desserts I’ve ever seen. Credit given to both the fantastic art direction and art production teams for how the dune itself looks. There is more than one scene where the dessert feels and almost becomes like an ocean, in the way it moves and crashes. And it is brilliant to look at. And I feel that the dune’s beauty is only the surface. We have yet to see the underground spoken of in this movie. Where the Fremen live. Which we will see in part II, and I couldn’t be more excited to explore this world deeper.
I await Dune Part II with great anticipation. Whatever Denis Villeneuve has planned, it will be worth watching. I loved and enjoyed this movie throughout my entire experience. It was beautiful, brilliant, and thought provoking. Worth watching in IMAX.