Dune Review: 7 Ups & 3 Downs
Denis Villeneuve delivers a stunning, imperfect epic.
After almost a year's worth of delays, the big-screen event of the year is finally here - Denis Villeneuve's hugely anticipated adaptation of Frank Herbert's beloved sci-fi opus Dune.
On paper the phenomenally talented Villeneuve certainly seemed to be the perfect filmmaker to adapt Herbert's dense epic, finally delivering the huge-scale, mega-budget outing the material deserves following David Lynch's messy 1984 attempt.
And there's absolutely no denying that Villeneuve's Dune is a masterfully craft feast for the senses - a film well worth visiting the cinema for if you're comfortable, because only the most robust and costly home cinema system can get anywhere close to replicating that experience.
All this said, Dune isn't a perfect film by any means - it's a typically slow effort from Villeneuve, and those expecting an energetic, action-packed sci-fi tentpole are advised to temper their expectations because this isn't really it.
And ultimately, this being just half of the story, there's understandable anxiety about whether or not Warner Bros. will even allow Villeneuve to finish it off, given its colossal budget and the uneasy possibility of major commercial success.
With all this in mind, here's what doesn't work about Dune...