So in advance of next week's Dune: Part Two, I thought I'd give this another go. I never read the novels or did I see the 1984 film, so my reference of comparison is primarily to some of my Sci-Fi favs. There's no question that this is a visionary Sci-Fi film. It's visually striking and backed by a wholly Original Score that really grabs your attention (Hans Zimmer amazes yet again!). It features an All Star Cast (I think Oscar Isaac is quite good in this small role and his performance seems to have been ignored) with tremendous production values and Sound Design/Mixing that is top tier; this is easily one of the most distinct aural experiences I've ever had in a theatre.

Dune is also highlighted by a nighttime attack set piece that is incredible! I was blown away by it's staging, execution and visualization. The technical design of the airships and small aircrafts are very creative; reminiscent of the insect like design of the machines in The Matrix. The VFX is seamless and the world looks and feels entirely real (I couldn't easily identify any green screen shots). Without a doubt, this is a technical masterpiece but for me there is something missing.

On my first viewing of this film my biggest criticism was that on an emotional level, I felt nothing watching it and I was not moved by it at all. Even on this 2nd watch I still had a hard time connecting with the core characters or the story (admittedly the setup of the character and narrative arcs are a bit more apparent). This is strange because I was able to connect with multiple other Denis Villeneuve films notably Sicario and Blade Runner 2049 (in my opinion, his best work). Maybe Chalamet just doesn't have the gravitas to really nail this lead role for me. Or maybe it's just the muted color palette of the film where it just feels cold and lifeless. I'm not sure; but ultimately for me, the film just seems to lack heart and so it just doesn't resonate with me. I'm sure some of this is because of the source material, but not entirely. Say what you will about the well worn storytelling tropes of James Cameron's Avatar or Avatar: The Way of Water , but this is one area where those films are clearly superior as I was able to connect with these films on an emotional level and was moved by the journey of those characters.

This time around the ending didn't quite as feel as disappointing as it did the first viewing as I knew going in it wasn't a complete, standalone film and of course, with less than a week until I see the sequel, it works much better as an appetizer than a full course meal. The reviews for Part Two are outstanding and so I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes, but I'm really hoping the grand scale of it's technical elements are matched by it's story's impact and emotional resonance.

Included in: The Best Of: 2021