Dune (2021) as a film primarily prides itself on its stunning and detailed visuals as well as a complex albeit compelling narrative wherein the sci-fi genre is explored with a heavy focus on individual characters. While the worldbuilding and some explanations of the wider story in the crucial beginnings can fall short of complete understanding in its reception; the film remains a brilliant and captivating experience during the entire two-and-a-half-hour runtime.
The titular vast, empty sand dunes across a desert planet is an obstacle through which the characters must navigate to fulfil their purpose. This environment is the visual mainstay of the film. Taking up the majority of the screen time, the dunes manage to never to appear drab or colourless. Instead showcase through an ever shifting perspective, the dangerous unpredictability of life in the dunes. The elemental juxtaposition throughout the film boosts the emotional stakes. The consistent presence of water on other planets creates an eerie feeling that contrasts the harshness of the arid and dry desert in an all the more potent image of the grapple for survival.
However, by no fault of its own, the film does pose one major question: why would anyone, anywhere, name their protagonist Paul?
Spotlight Magazine 
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