“Dreams are messages from the deep,” quoted director Denis Villeneuve in the 2021 film “Dune.” Spoken in the alien tongue sardaukar before the movie even begins, viewers are left wondering exactly how the role of dreams affects the plot of the entire film and why this line is so important.   

The 2021 film is a modern adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction series written in 1965 that is about the fate of the noble Atreides family. They are summoned to the planet Arrakis by the emperor to aid in the harvesting of Spice, the most important resource in this universe. Timothée Chalamet plays Paul Atreides, son of Duke Leto Atreides, who is given the responsibility of determining not only his own future, but the future of the Fremen people who are the inhabitants of Arrakis. Joined by the acting of Zendaya, who plays Chani, Chalamet’s character is taken under the wing of the Fremen while learning to adapt to the harsh environment that awaits him beyond his kingdom’s walls. 

Chalamet’s portrayal of the character Paul makes him seem like he is under a lot of pressure throughout the film as he is placed on this pedestal as the Duke’s son to step up to plate sooner than expected. Even more pressure is added on to him in the movie as his mother reveals his fate is far greater then he ever knew. He often looks to his dreams for answers as to what his future holds and how it could affect everyone around him. But can they be trusted? Because there are no clear answers, Paul is given the ability to choose his own path and the importance of his dreams weigh heavily on his shoulders. You can feel the amount of sadness, frustration, and anger through Chalamet’s tears and screams. His ability to keep to the seriousness of his character contributes greatly to the bleakness of the film as a whole.  

The movie itself has some of the most incredible and beautiful visuals ever seen. Since Villeneuve wanted the majority of the scenery of each planet to be built by hand, production designer Patrice Vermette and his team had to rely heavily on outside sources that already existed for influence and b-roll such as the Egyptian pyramids, the Abu Dhabi capital and parts of Norway. The creation of technology that is supposed to exist over 20,000 years into the future is an art that was done exceptionally well and sets the stakes high for the future movies to come.  

I recommend this movie to anyone who finds entertainment in the sci-fi side of film or is looking for a movie with a deep and enriching plot. I hope you enjoy watching!