Review: Dune (1984)
★
Kyle MacLachlan as Paul Atreides in "Dune (1984)."
The long-awaited film version of Frank Herbert's classic science fiction epic, Dune comes to us in 1984 as a steaming pile of horses***. "Dune" was directed by David Yates, known for films "Eraserhead (1977)" and "The Elephant Man (1980)," as well as turning down "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)." Judging by that previous statement and this film, you can tell that David Yates isn't the greatest Sci-Fi director.
The story is set in a distant future where noble families vie for control of the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the precious substance "spice," which is essential for space travel and grants psychic abilities. The protagonist, Paul Atreides, whose family is entrusted with the stewardship of Arrakis, discovers his destiny intertwined with the planet's mysterious and powerful desert dwellers, the Fremen. As he navigates political intrigue and personal transformation, Paul rises to challenge the empire's corruption and fulfills his destiny as a prophesied leader. The film is known for its complex plot, rich world-building, and distinct visual style, though it received mixed reviews for its deviation from the source material and dense narrative.
The film is a complete mess. Very little is effective. Even for the 1980s, the special effects are among the worst I've ever seen, and the plot is difficult to follow. There are greater special effects in other 80s movies. Lynch's directing technique demonstrates how much he despises science fiction and his story/screenplay is weird and perplexing.
Frank Herbert appreciated the effort and ambition involved in bringing his complex and sprawling work to the big screen. He was particularly impressed with the film's visual design and the fidelity to the look and feel of the universe he created. However, he acknowledged the difficulty of condensing such a detailed and intricate story into a single film, which inevitably led to some compromises and omissions. Overall, Herbert recognized the challenges Lynch faced and seemed to respect the director's vision and dedication to the project.
Maybe if this was made at a different time, the film would've been better, or call in George Lucas' special effects company, ILM to help out. The opening monologue of Virginia Madsen as Princess Irulan was great. If that was the whole film, it would've been much better. But I digress. If "Dune (1984)" was released at a different time, as I said, it probably would've been better.