Dune Review: 7 Ups & 3 Downs

Ups...

7. Denis Villeneuve's Stunning Direction

Denis Villeneuve seemed like the perfect filmmaker to adapt Dune on paper, and he absolutely confirms that in actuality, delivering one of the most bold and ambitious films of the last few years.

Villeneuve's stylistic skill goes without saying, but his directorial prowess extends far beyond his ability to craft a pretty image - his handle on tone and ability to bring the best out of his cast is also fully on display here.

One certainly gets the sense more than in his other recent movies that Villeneuve is at the mercy of the script, but that doesn't stop him proving his near-unmatched ability to deliver a mesmerising work of epic blockbuster cinema.

In terms of sheer ability to steer such a gargantuan production to such an entertaining end result, Villeneuve is absolutely worthy of Oscar recognition, even if the more uneven script prevents Dune from attaining masterpiece status alongside Arrival and Blade Runner 2049.