Dune reviewed by Mark Kermode

Mark Kermode reviews Dune. Paul Atreides faces down his destiny when his family are tasked with overseeing the Spice-rich planet of Arrakis.

Please tell us what you think of the film -- or Mark’s review of the film. We love to include your views on the show every Friday.

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[somedipshtinthecomments]

Dune is the first big-budget sci-fi movie in a while that's actually felt like watching a *film* as opposed to 2-hr long videogame cutscene

[alansmith]

This film is laced with CGI but never looks like a Marvel or Transformers movie. Gives me hope that more directors can use CGI as an art form.

[Fauxbourg]

I remember my parents taking me to see The Return of the King when I was a child and that movie evoked a feeling in me that no other cinema experience since then has come close to. Dune brought that feeling back to me. Seeing this movie in an auditorium was something that I won't ever forget.

[michaelkennedy]

The audience are smarter than everyone's always thought. Thank you Mark, that's a gem.

[BHCha-]

I echo everything Mark said here. People need to understand that Dune isn't a flashy, fast-paced thrill ride like Star Wars, it's focused more on worldbuilding and lore than on action, it's more artistic than commercial. It is an adaptation of a book that prompts readers to think, so if you go into a cinema expecting simple fun then you will be disappointed, Dune is anything but simple.

[Gyrant]

On the note of the audience being smarter than everyone thinks: This movie managed to do a lot of expository work and world-building by simply dropping implications and letting the audience connect the dots. There's no listening to exposition-dumps in the form of internal monologues or outright voice-over narration like the 1984 version. Maybe it's a bit less clear to someone who hasn't read the books, but I think it's refreshing that at no point did a character go "What's a Sardaukar??" or something like that just so they can have it explained for the audience to hear.

[PascalGrüger]

This movie was so satistfying to watch because it was so focused in its execution. Really hope that they get to make Part 2.

[leighsherval]

As a huge fan of both book and director my expectations for "Dune" were through the roof and yet, through sheer cinematic force, it exceeded them. Seeing the world and characters brought to life with such craftsmanship was overwhelming to me. I thought it was absolutely stunning. I can't wait to see it again.

[celem]

When the Reverand Mother lands and takes off for meeting Paul, the sound and visuals were just assaulting me and I had goosebumps

[StevenSeagull]

The sardaukar planet scene was one of the most metal things I have seen in a movie in a long time.

[vickster]

Saw it tonight on IMAX. I can’t imagine people first experiencing that film on TV at home. It’s probably the most in awe of cinematic visuals I’ve been since LOTR in 2001. The cinematography is just stunningly beautiful. I also liked the sound and un-Zimmer score. The acting was solid, with Chalamet impressing as the lead, but everyone else was fantastic too. I’ve got the book but never read it. Now I can read it while we wait for them to green light part 2!

[callummc]

I feel like I was the target audience member for this film. I have a passing interest in Dune, read the book years ago and seen both the Lynch film and the miniseries, but otherwise I'm not a superfan. This is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen, and the story was told so well that now I feel like I'm more invested than ever

[Pemulis]

When I saw it I remember thinking at the two hour mark that I couldn't believe that two hours had already gone by. There was not a minute of boredom in this movie; never once did I wish the pace would pick up.

[TSINIproductions]

With Oscar Isaac on screen and the desert scenes. I couldn’t help wonder how good Star Wars could have been if George had given the reigns to Denis Villeneuve, instead of selling to the house of mouse. He gives reverence to everything, the sand, the tech, the history, the characters, and gives the story itself time to breathe.

Just imagine what he could have done with 6+ hours and access to our favourite sci fi characters and imagery.

There was humour in Dune, all of it in world and in character, not a single “your momma” joke in sight.

[johnlever]

Having read Dune many years ago when I was 13, this brought the images back into my mind that I had 50 years ago. At one point I had tears streaming down my face

[kaib]

This is why I watch Kermode reviews, he describes and summarises things I can’t. The feeling I had (as a huge Dune fan) through the whole film was “this could fail at any minute”, it was a kind of restless energy that spoiled the first screening for me. It was amazing, but thanks Mark, I’m going to watch it a second time this weekend. Great review

[EmperorsNewWardrobe]

They seemed to use a lot of horror techniques to build atmosphere, menace and suspense. That was the thing I particularly liked about it.

[KeithFraser]

Poster quote:
"IT'S VERY GOOD" - MARK KERMODE

[shubhagarwal]

First time he didn't say his iconic phrase "here's a clip".

[cletus]

Watched it last night at the theatre and was overwhelmed....watched it again today at home in a dark room with headphones on high volume and I listened to every word of dialogue and the experience was ethereal...This is a movie masterpiece....