“Dune”: An adaptation that did justice to the books

The 2021 adaptation of “Dune” was directed by Dennis Villeneuve, starring Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet and Dave Bautista. [ASHLEY TSEUNG/THE BLUE & GOLD]

The story of Dune was originally written by Frank Herbert in 1965, and the first film adaptation was directed by David Lynch, released in 1984. The 2021 adaptation of “Dune” was directed by Dennis Villeneuve, starring Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet, Dave Bautista and other actors. The remake was released in theaters in October 2021.

Despite Dune being an award-winning novel, many people are still unaware of what the story is about. “Dune” is a sci-fi set in the distant future amidst a feudal interstellar society. The plot centers around Paul Atreides, a young man born into a complicated fate, beyond his comprehension. He was forced into the destiny of traveling to the most dangerous parts of the universe in order to secure his family’s status, and the safety of his people.

After watching the movie, many people felt that two hours and 35 minutes was too long and not worth sitting through. This movie may not be suitable for those who are impatient, or those who have not read the novels or seen the previous film. If it were to be shortened, the content of the movie would not be nearly as accurate to the novels as they are. Every scene that can be viewed as unnecessary helps to pull the viewers into the Dune universe. It is undeniable that Dune is a Sci-Fi story, perhaps just not in the Star Wars action packed way that some people had hoped.

One of the most talked about topics in this movie is the portrayal of the iconic characters of Dune. Chalamet does an excellent job at portraying Paul as similar to the books as possible, while still adding a new layer to his character that allowed the viewers to form a deeper attachment to Paul. At first, we see Paul as a confused young man, unsure of the next step he is going to take toward his and his people’s future. Throughout the movie, he battles with the challenges that come with being the Duke of house Atreides, including discovering the mysteries buried in the sand of Arrakis. Chalamet allowed Paul to evolve, and grow to fit the throne assigned to him at birth, while still leading his own life through the guidance of his dreams.

The technology in Dune is far more advanced than what is available to us today, however, the political dynamics of “Dune” are prevalent, and in relation, to our world. Something that has been highly discussed is the way that Dune was crafted to symbolize, or closely resemble, conflicts that go on in our world. The spices, which characters in “Dune” so desperately tried to acquire, were significant because they are used for space exploration and symbols of wealth, similar to the way oil is sought after in modern society as a valuable resource.

Furthermore, “Dune” alludes to historical conflicts. Between the main factions in this story, the House Atreides and the Fremen, the story reflects the conflict between colonists and indigenous peoples.

These symbols are important because a lot of the political parties in “Dune” mirror exactly what is going on in our modern and evolving society. This makes “Dune” forever relevant and worth learning about. Not only has “Dune” influenced many of the sci-fi favourites today, but it is also an example of how a movie can emphasize environmental stress, capabilities of powerful people and especially the development of countries against imperialism.