Dune (2021) – Full Spoiler Review

Poster for Dune 2021 Movie — Official Poster Dune 2021 Movie

It begins.

PG-13
2h 35m

Directed by: Denis Villeneuve
Novel: Frank Herbert
Premiered: September 15, 2021
Language: English
Status: Released
Budget: $165,000,000.00
Revenue: $407,573,628.00
Awards: Won 6 Oscars. 175 wins & 298 nominations total
Country: United States of America

Dune

7.7/10 (14141 vote)

★★★★★★★★★★

Production: Legendary Pictures

Spoiler

The vast, arid expanse of Arrakis, a planet also known as Dune, is a world of harsh beauty and brutal exploitation. For generations, its native inhabitants, the Fremen, have endured the cruelties of off-world colonizers who covet the planet's most precious commodity: spice. This potent substance, vital for interstellar navigation and possessing life-extending and health-enhancing properties, has fueled the immense wealth of families like the Harkonnens, who previously held dominion over Arrakis. Chani, a young Fremen woman, voices her people's deep-seated resentment and questions the shifting tides of power, particularly the Emperor's sudden decree that the noble House Atreides will assume stewardship of the planet, displacing the Harkonnens. This abrupt transfer of power, she suspects, is merely a prelude to further conflict.

On the verdant homeworld of Caladan, young Paul Atreides, heir to House Atreides, grapples with his own burgeoning destiny. His mother, Lady Jessica, a member of the enigmatic Bene Gesserit – a powerful sisterhood trained in extraordinary mental and physical disciplines – observes his struggles. Paul attempts to master "the Voice," a Bene Gesserit ability that allows for mind control through vocal modulation, but finds the skill elusive, a testament to the years of rigorous training required. Jessica probes Paul about his dreams, which have become increasingly vivid and troubling. He has seen visions of Chani, the Fremen woman from Arrakis, but he conceals this from his mother, perhaps sensing the profound implications of these premonitions.

Paul’s studies reveal the stark realities of Arrakis: a world of scorching heat, relentless sandstorms, and colossal sandworms, known to the Fremen as Shai-hulud. Only the Fremen, through generations of adaptation, have learned to survive in this unforgiving environment. Their prolonged exposure to spice has imbued them with distinctive blue-tinted eyes, a visible marker of their deep connection to the planet. The Fremen are perceived as dangerous adversaries by the spice harvesters, their attacks making the extraction of this vital resource a perilous endeavor. For the Fremen, spice is not merely a commodity but a sacred hallucinogen, believed to preserve life and offer numerous health benefits. The Imperium, however, relies on spice for the Spacing Guild's navigators to chart safe passages between stars, rendering it the most valuable substance in the universe. Without it, interstellar travel would cease to exist.

The arrival of an Imperial delegation, including representatives of the Spacing Guild and a Bene Gesserit sister, heralds a significant shift. The Emperor's decree is delivered: House Atreides is to assume control of Arrakis. Duke Leto Atreides, Paul's father, accepts this weighty responsibility, aware of the political machinations at play. He suspects the Emperor's move is a calculated maneuver to pit two powerful houses against each other, thereby strengthening his own position.

Paul, eager to understand his future, confides in Duncan Idaho, House Atreides' skilled swordmaster. He shares his premonitory dreams, which include visions of Arrakis, Chani, and even Duncan's own demise amongst the Fremen. Duncan, a pragmatist, dismisses these visions as mere fantasies, refusing Paul's plea to accompany him on an advance mission to Arrakis. Duke Leto, equally concerned for his son's safety and the future of their House, denies Paul's request to join the advance team. He emphasizes Paul's role as the heir and the necessity of his presence on Arrakis. Leto reveals his strategy to forge an alliance with the Fremen against the Harkonnens, a plan entrusted to Duncan. Paul, however, harbors doubts about his own leadership capabilities, a sentiment his father acknowledges with understanding, assuring him of his unwavering paternal support.

Meanwhile, Paul undergoes rigorous sword-fighting training with Gurney Halleck, the weapons master of House Atreides. Utilizing forcefield shields to prevent fatal blows, their sparring sessions are intense, pushing Paul to his limits. Gurney, a seasoned warrior, warns Paul of the brutal nature of the Harkonnens and the immense wealth and power they derived from Arrakis over eighty years of control, a power now wrested from their grasp.

On Geidi Prime, the Harkonnen homeworld, Baron Harkonnen’s nephew, Beast Rabban, conveys the news of their expulsion from Arrakis. The Baron, a figure of imposing presence, cryptically suggests that the Emperor's "gift" of Arrakis to House Atreides is a dangerous deception, born of the Emperor's jealousy of House Atreides' rising influence.

Back on Caladan, Lady Jessica awakens Paul for a crucial meeting. The Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, Jessica's former mentor and the Emperor's Truthsayer, has arrived to assess Paul's potential. Dr. Yueh, a physician in House Atreides' employ, discreetly advises Paul to proceed with caution, hinting at the Bene Gesserit's hidden agendas. Before facing the Reverend Mother, Jessica imparts a silent reminder to Paul to recall his training.

The Reverend Mother, observing Paul's defiant gaze, subjects him to a harrowing trial. In a secluded chamber, with a poison needle poised at his neck, Paul must endure excruciating pain while keeping his hand within a small box. His survival hinges on his ability to control his primal fear and impulses. Lady Jessica, outside the chamber, recites the Bene Gesserit's Litany Against Fear, a mantra of mental fortitude: "I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain." Paul endures the ordeal, his uninjured hand a testament to his success. The Reverend Mother reveals that Paul's inherited power, stemming from his mother's lineage, necessitated this test. She questions him about his dreams, particularly his recurring visions of Chani. She notes that while his prescience is nascent, he is now "going into the fire." The Reverend Mother also reveals Jessica's defiance of Bene Gesserit rules by bearing a son, hoping he might be the Kwisatz Haderach, a prophesied male Bene Gesserit capable of bridging space and time. She warns that the Bene Gesserit have other candidates should Paul falter.

Overhearing this conversation, Paul confronts his mother about the Bene Gesserit's clandestine influence. Jessica explains their centuries-long quest to cultivate a being with unparalleled mental abilities, capable of perceiving past and future, hinting that Paul might be that individual. Paul expresses a sense of sadness at being merely "part of a plan."

The Atreides family departs Caladan for Arrakis, greeted by cheers from Fremen onlookers. Paul, however, is cautioned by Thufir Hawat, House Atreides' Mentat (a human computer), against trusting the seemingly warm reception. As they travel to the walled city of Arrakeen, protected from the elements and sandworms, Lady Jessica explains that the Fremen are chanting "Lisan al Gaib," meaning "Voice from the Outer World," their term for a prophesied Messiah. This, she notes, indicates the Bene Gesserit's long-standing efforts to prepare the Fremen for his arrival. Paul, however, believes they are merely seeing what they have been conditioned to see. Duke Leto, surveying the city, identifies potential vulnerabilities, including the spaceport and spice refinery, emphasizing their critical importance for survival.

Lady Jessica interviews Fremen candidates for a housekeeper position. One woman presents a crysknife, a sacred Fremen weapon, and tests Jessica's knowledge of its significance. Jessica, recognizing it as a "Maker," a term for sandworms, demonstrates her understanding, solidifying the woman's trust. Paul encounters a man tending sacred date palm trees, a stark reminder of the preciousness of water on Arrakis.

In his room, Paul learns about the sandworms, creatures of immense size that inhabit the deep desert. The Fremen employ a specialized "sand walk" to traverse the desert undetected, mimicking natural desert sounds to avoid attracting these behemoths. He also discovers the Fremen's cultivation of hardy plant species, contributing to the planet's scarce flora. Suddenly, a hunter-seeker, a miniature assassin drone, enters his room. The device locates Paul but halts before reaching him. As a servant enters, Paul seizes the device, destroying it and deducing the assassin's proximity. The assassin, found cemented into a wall crevice, had been waiting for weeks to deploy the hunter-seeker. Thufir Hawat, blaming himself for the security lapse, offers his resignation, which Duke Leto refuses, tasking him instead with identifying any spies within their ranks.

A Bene Gesserit sister meets with Baron Harkonnen and his Mentat, Piter De Vries. The Emperor, she reveals, will provide the Harkonnens with his elite Sardaukar troops, a clandestine alliance. Baron Harkonnen, assured of Arrakis's lack of surveillance, plans to eliminate the Atreideses. The sister stipulates that while Duke Leto may be killed, Lady Jessica and Paul should be granted exile. Harkonnen agrees, but his true intentions are revealed to De Vries: he has no intention of sparing them.

At a strategy meeting, Thufir Hawat presents evidence of the Harkonnens' immense profits from Arrakis, highlighting the dilapidated state of the equipment left behind. He also reveals that many spice silos were sabotaged. Paul mentions the expected presence of a Judge of Change to oversee the transition, identified as Dr. Liet Kynes, an Imperial ecologist. Duke Leto decides to visit the harvesting fields with Kynes for safety.

Duncan Idaho returns, recounting his four-week immersion with the Fremen. He describes their elusive nature and formidable combat skills, revealing that their numbers far exceed Harkonnen estimates. Duncan introduces Stilgar, a Fremen leader, to Duke Leto. Stilgar's refusal to relinquish his crysknife is met with suspicion until Duncan explains its sacred significance. Stilgar's act of spitting on the ground, initially perceived as disrespect, is revealed by Duncan to be a profound gesture of offering his body's moisture, a sign of respect in the parched desert. Stilgar voices the Fremen's grievances regarding the exploitation of spice, and Leto pledges to offer what he can, promising to leave their sietches undisturbed. Stilgar acknowledges this honor and departs. Paul, however, addresses Stilgar in his native tongue, a gesture that elicits recognition from the Fremen leader.

Duncan showcases Fremen technology, including a paracompass, essential for navigation amidst the planet's magnetic interference. Gurney playfully teases Duncan about "going native," a sentiment Duncan admits to feeling.

Duke Leto and his entourage meet Dr. Liet Kynes, who inspects their stillsuits, vital for survival in Arrakis's extreme heat. Kynes is intrigued by Paul's unconventional yet effective way of wearing his suit. She speaks in the Fremen tongue, revealing her acceptance by the native population.

Kynes escorts them to the harvesting fields, demonstrating the spice crawlers and the constant vigilance required to detect approaching sandworms. She explains that shields, while protective on other worlds, are a death sentence on Arrakis, attracting the worms. When a sandworm approaches a crawler, a carryall is summoned for evacuation. A malfunction prevents the carryall from lifting the crawler, endangering its crew. Duke Leto orchestrates a daring rescue, with ornithopters ferrying the crew. During the rescue, Paul experiences a trance-like state, drawn to the desert. He is retrieved by Gurney just as the sandworm engulfs the crawler. Leto reprimands Paul for his recklessness, while Kynes attributes the carryall's malfunction to its age, not sabotage, advising Leto to protect his family.

Dr. Yueh examines Paul, noting his sensitivity to spice but assuring his well-being. Paul confides in his mother about a vision he experienced, not an allergic reaction, but a premonition of Chani, his death, and the significance of a knife. He also reveals his knowledge of Jessica's recent pregnancy, a fact she had only just discovered herself.

On Salusa Secundus, the Sardaukar prepare for their deployment. Piter De Vries discusses the Atreides forces with a Sardaukar warrior, who expresses supreme confidence in their superiority.

Lady Jessica attempts to discuss Paul with Duke Leto, but he is preoccupied with the changes in his son since the Reverend Mother's visit. He seeks reassurance that Jessica will protect their son, not just as a mother, but as a Bene Gesserit.

Dr. Yueh visits Paul, leaving him a drink. Later, Leto and Jessica discuss their unmarried status, with Leto expressing regret.

The base is infiltrated. Guards are killed, and the shields are lowered. Duke Leto awakens to a sense of dread. He discovers a slain servant and is incapacitated by a poison dart. Dr. Yueh reveals himself as the infiltrator, having made a deal with Baron Harkonnen to secure his wife's release. Yueh takes Leto's ducal ring, intending to give it to Paul, and implants a poison tooth in Leto's mouth, a potential weapon against the Baron.

Chaos erupts. Gurney rallies the Atreides forces as enemy ships bomb the base and Sardaukar soldiers engage in brutal combat. Paul and Lady Jessica are kidnapped. Onboard their captor's ornithopter, the Harkonnen men discuss their intentions towards Jessica. Paul attempts to use "the Voice" to manipulate them, but his initial attempts are unsuccessful. The Harkonnens decide to cast Paul out into the desert. However, Paul’s subsequent use of the Voice compels one of the men to remove Jessica's gag. Jessica then employs the Voice to command one soldier to kill another, before incapacitating the remaining captors and freeing Paul. Their ornithopter, crippled remotely, crash-lands. They witness the burning city in the distance.

Duke Leto awakens captive to Baron Harkonnen. Yueh is brought before the Baron, who reveals he has no intention of releasing Yueh's wife and kills the doctor. Harkonnen informs Leto of his family's demise and House Atreides' fall. As Leto finds his ducal ring, he whispers to the Baron, then bites down on the poison tooth, releasing a cloud of gas that kills several Harkonnen guards.

Dr. Kynes observes Duncan Idaho's landing, expressing anger and suspicion. Duncan laments that House Atreides was sent to Arrakis to perish.

Baron Harkonnen survives the poison gas attack. In the desert, Paul and Jessica take shelter, and Paul experiences another vision of Chani and a "holy war" spreading across the universe in his name. He lashes out at his mother, feeling like a "freak" created by the Bene Gesserit, but eventually allows her comfort. They discover a Fremkit, containing an Atreides beacon.

Dr. Kynes witnesses Duncan's arrival, believing she was aware of the impending attack. Duncan confirms House Atreides' doom.

Paul and Jessica, guided by the beacon, are rescued by Duncan. Dr. Kynes is also aboard. They learn that the Harkonnen attack was bolstered by the Sardaukar, indicating the Emperor's complicity. Kynes, the Judge of Change, claims to be forbidden from speaking, but Paul's insight into her actions suggests otherwise.

They seek refuge at an old ecological testing station, a site where Arrakis was once intended to be terraformed before the discovery of spice. Paul proposes an alliance against the Imperium, suggesting he could negotiate with the Emperor. Kynes dismisses this as unrealistic, given the Emperor's attempt on Paul's life. Paul, however, reveals intimate knowledge of Kynes's dreams and her desire for Arrakis to become a paradise, hinting at his own potential to achieve this as Emperor.

The station is attacked by enemy soldiers. Duncan fights bravely to allow Paul, Jessica, and Kynes to escape. Kynes urges Paul and Jessica to flee into a sandstorm, directing them to find the Fremen. She plans to contact the Landsraad about the Sardaukar attack. Paul and Jessica escape in a two-seater ornithopter. Kynes plants a thumper, attracting a sandworm, and is killed by Sardaukar soldiers just as the worm arrives, consuming them all.

Paul and Jessica, pursued by enemy ornithopters, fly into a sandstorm. Their ornithopter is damaged, forcing a crash landing. They don their stillsuits and set out to find the Fremen, encountering a sandworm. Paul has another vision of Chani, who advises him to face his fears, and another Fremen who speaks of his need to learn. Using a paracompass, they head towards a potential Fremen settlement. They employ the "sand walk" to avoid attracting sandworms.

While resting, they witness a sand wave, indicating nearby worms. They inadvertently step on drum sand, attracting a worm. A thumper distracts the creature, saving them. Surrounded by Fremen, including Stilgar, Paul reminds Stilgar of their previous meeting. Stilgar vouches for Paul, but Jamis challenges his claim to be the Lisan al Gaib. A confrontation ensues, with Jessica besting Stilgar in combat. Jamis challenges Jessica, and Paul steps forward as her champion. Before their duel, Paul has a vision of a female voice instructing him to kill for the Kwisatz Haderach to rise. Chani lends him a crysknife, recognizing it from his earlier vision. Paul fights Jamis, ultimately delivering a fatal blow.

Stilgar declares Paul one of them. Jessica insists on Paul leaving Arrakis, but he chooses to remain, embracing his destiny with the Fremen. They carry Jamis's body as they journey into the desert, witnessing a Fremen ride a sandworm. Chani tells Paul this is only the beginning.