After watching the film, it is difficult to understand what is at stake if the viewer is not familiar with the original source, the stated topics remain only stated, since many of them do not reach their logical conclusion, but the strong point of the new “Dune” will be and remains atmospheric.
What is the meaning of the sci-fi movie Dune?
Impressive gigantism and unfamiliar territories are shown with the help of the slowness and deliberate measuredness of each frame. This allows you to consider every detail of a new, unknown world, better immerse yourself in the atmosphere, feel the Dune. The music also adds to the atmosphere.
Dune takes place in the year 10191. Power is held by the emperor-padishah Shaddam IV from the house of Corrino. At the center of the story is the conflict of three planets: Caladan (the home ocean planet of the House of Atreides), Arrakis (the desert planet where the spice is mined) and Giedi Prime (the planet of the Harkonnen, who became richer than the emperor due to the exploitation of Arrakis). Because of the spice found in the deserts of Arrakis, there is a constant war for the resource. The story begins with House Atreides gaining control of her.
The structure of society, despite the fact that the picture is sci-fi and shows a distant future, is feudal: power is inherited, aristocratic families are in an endless war for power and resources, signs of a historically established feudal society remain in the world, but in it also retains its own code of honor, vaguely reminiscent of a knight’s. Such a combination of technologies and medieval elements (like swords or orders) is due to the fact that such a society was formed after the uprising of machines endowed with reason, and now the inhabitants of the planets are trying not to replace man with artificial intelligence, deducing an alternative path of development, which is revealed in the film.
So, the house of Atreides gets control of Arrakis, and Duke Leto (the head of the house) guesses that the emperor did this in order to pit the houses and get rid of one of them. However, he still accepts this offer and moves to Arrakis. Fremen live in its deserts – the indigenous blue-eyed inhabitants of the planet, who have their own political and religious systems, their own mentality. Before arriving on the planet, Duke Leto sends an expedition with Duncan, one of Paul’s (heir) close friends, to study the indigenous population and try to make peace with them, in the hope of working together to achieve freedom for the planet and at the same time win the war, which was about to untie the emperor.
But everything on Arrakis turns out to be destroyed: machines break down, equipment is missing, giant worms live in Dune, destroying the surviving equipment – Duke Leto understands that he will not be able to restore production in a short time, and he does not have time – the planet is attacked too quickly. Because of the betrayal, the duke dies on the Harkonnen planet, having bitten through a poison pill. He consciously goes to his death, realizing that there is no other way out of this situation.
One of the film’s central themes, best explored, is Paul’s chosenness. Once on the planet, he began to see the future through dreams. Later, this is explained by the fact that Paul’s mother is a member of the Bene Gesserit Order. The sisters of the order are able to control their voice, thereby providing suggestion, and predict the future, and Jessica, Paul’s mother, violates the main rule – she gives birth and trains her son. Knowledge should be passed on only to daughters, but she is convinced that her son is the chosen one, and he himself soon begins to realize this. Paul has an inextricable, invisible connection with the desert of Arrakis: he dreams with the participation of the Fremen, and they lead him, as well as the viewer, into the depths of Dune.
After being attacked and wandering through the desert, Paul and Jessica stumble upon representatives of the Fremen while running from giant worms that live in the Dunes. Stilgar agrees to accept them, but the other Freman disagrees with the leader’s position. He denies being chosen and challenges Paul to a duel. Paul has already seen the outcome of this fight – he wins by killing himself and his personality during the duel. He becomes the very leader that the desert requires – the chosen Kwizats Haderach, who was spoken of in the prophecies. Paul wants to finish what his dead father started – unite the armies and make Arrakis free.
The question of power plays out in all directions: whether it is imperial or religious fanaticism, the question of power over one’s destiny, control over history and the ability to create it.
Unfortunately, the film does not come to a logical conclusion to the story. It breaks off at the most unexpected place and leaves the viewer without answers to some questions. Dune is a huge universe with its own races, political systems and intrigues, and the film does not fully reveal them, making the setting for a leisurely plot and atmosphere. The world of Dune uses organic resources – spice, which is not only a drug that increases lifespan, but also fuel for ships.
“Dune” is a leisurely film that only reveals the first pages of history, using a visual-aesthetic and emotional element.
