I continue this journey of bringing the best from the realms of music, cinema, encapsulating a world of culture, with this reprise of A LETTERED SOUL.
Let this journey begin with a melody of words and the constancy of thoughts.
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In the long tradition of epic filmmaking, predestination or an oracle-like destiny for heroic lead protagonists has been a common motif. DUNE doesn't toy any differently from that formula. Its science fiction antecedents, in this book to screen transfer, is also something we have become immune to, over decades of experiencing larger than life spectacles, most of them merging camp aesthetics with multiplicities of fantasy within its umbrella masthead.
DUNE is mostly redeemed, inspite of those established points of deja vu, by its understated journey, a ponderous pace and screenplay that lets its characteristically male lead( an always beautiful Timothee Chalamet) to not indulge in much action skirmishes and instead use his mental acumen to traverse terrains and hold on to mortality with his mother( Rebecca Ferguson) in tow. Other senior members of his inner circle do his bidding in terms of their corporeal presence against intergalactic opponents. That includes formidable likes of Jason Momoa, Oscar Isaac and Josh Brolin. Also can we applaud the casting team for bringing Tim and Rebecca together as a familial unit here? Their features are so uncanny.
Of course, the vast and often unforgiving landscapes are captured efficiently, with its technical finesse in top form. Maybe, for me, a lack of overwhelming inclination towards the fantasy genre limited my involvement in this case. But the muffled tones and customary epic duration of two and a half hours are all in service of a predictable payback.
The ethical dilemmas, ethnic and cultural homogeneity in terms of the costumes and looks on top of the political allegory vis a vis control of spices and capitalist critique are all right with me as is a very good performance from Sharon Duncan Brewster as a leader and saviour who is tasked with looking after the mother-son duo's passage to the desert. Ultimately, this one is not really my cup of tea. The storytelling is a bit stifled here, focusing instead on the visual aspect overall.
Trust me when I say that these tentpole blockbusters do not serve anything resembling novelty now. DUNE is a part of that pantheon despite its best intentions.
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KING RICHARD (2021)
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