Film Review: “Dune” (2021)

A visually stunning epic that may confuse the unitiated.

Admittedly, I do not have any fealty or knowledge when it comes to Frank Herbert’s “Dune.” My first exposure to “Dune” was when I watched the 1995 “Mortal Kombat” film on VHS as a kid. Now, I’m dating myself quite a bit here but, back in the day, VHS tapes came with film trailers attached. One of those trailers on the VHS tape for “Mortal Kombat” was the 1984 adaptation of “Dune” starring Kyle MacLachlan and directed by David Lynch. I remember thinking “Wow, this looks weird” and then, I learned later on in life that David Lynch movies are…well..unique. Six months back, I attempted to watch the 1984 film and read Frank Herbert’s novel in an attempt to understand the world of “Dune” in time for the hotly anticipated remake. Unfortunately, I fell asleep during the David Lynch film and (especially with my hectic work schedule) felt that it was an endless chore to get through the audiobook. So, I decided to take a gamble and go in blind. In the 2021 adaptation, we have a star-studded cast which includes Academy Award Nominee Timothee Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Jason Mamoa, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, and many others, with Academy Award-nominated director Denis Villeneuve.

Did my gamble of going in knowing nothing pay off or was I better off just reading the books? Let’s find out.