Special Review: "IMAX Presents: An Exclusive Look At Dune" (2021).

"Beyond fear, destiny awaits" in Dune (or Dune: Part One). This upcoming epic science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve, adapted by Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth, based on the 1965 seminal science-fiction literary classic by Frank Herbert, and stars an ensemble cast that includes Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem. It is the first of a planned two-part adaptation, which will cover roughly the first half of the book. A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

The exclusive IMAX look consisted of Behind-the-Scenes with the cast & crew, including Villeneuve and Chalamet. Adapting Dune for the big screen has been a lifelong dream of Villeneuve, ever since he read Herbert's novel when he was around twelve years old. He wanted to make a faithful adaptation, so he waited until he'd done sci-fi films Arrival (2016) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017) first so that he would have sufficient experience in the genre before starting work on Dune. In fact, scenes from his prior films are strongly influenced by his interpretations of scenes from the novel. Villeneuve confirmed in a Vanity Fair article that his adaptation of Dune (2021) will be split into two films in order to ensure that the original story would be "preserved and not cut into a million pieces." Also, Villeneuve's plans for the film are quite ambitious, as he hopes to make it the Star Wars he never saw. In an interview, he explained that most of the main ideas of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) came from Dune so it will be a challenge to tackle this project. Villeneuve even said, "In a way, it's Star Wars for adults." Like Villeneuve, composer Hans Zimmer is a big fan of the novel Dune, and turned down working with frequent collaborator Christopher Nolan on Tenet (2020) to score this film. To musicalise the different worlds of Dune, Zimmer utilised female vocals in addition to his usual musical palette of percussion and brass instruments. The look also included surprise presentation of the first ten minutes of the film, as well as Villeneuve's favourite scene. The film is Villeneuve 's first film to be shot with large format Arri Alexa LF IMAX digital cameras with Panavision H-Series and Ultra Vista Lenses. The footage switches between 1.43 : 1, 1.90 : 1 and 2.39 : 1 aspect ratios. Finally, the look concluded with premiere of the new trailer. 

I'm sure you can sense the excitement of the nerdy fan-boy coming from this review of an exclusive look but it showed a film I have genuinely fallen in love with and was thrilled and assured to see that impossible has now been made possible and it is definitely in the most perfect hands possible. It showed an excellent well-made science fiction epic especially when compared with mediocre output of current superhero movies. Grand old fashioned spectacle. It was well balanced and stimulating, it alternated between intense action, light comedy, and sincere drama. Villeneuve's epic adaptation is an phenomenally impressive beast of a film that will capture and surpass your imagination with every single frame. It grabbed me with its meticulous world-building as well as its enormous scale and scope. It will be the beginning to one of the best movie series of all time. Villeneuve does the impossible: he makes a faithful, magical, thrilling, and-most importantly-compelling film version of Herbert's literary science fiction masterpiece. Most ambitiously, this stunning spectacle is an adaptation that's closer in spirit to an art-house film than a popcorn holiday romp. An enthusiastic visionary set loose on one of the biggest playgrounds ever constructed, Villeneuve brings more personality to the series' first installment, the film, than typically seeps into a franchise of this magnitude. Against all odds in an era of machine-made spectaculars, Monsieur Villeneuve and his collaborators have created a film epic that lives and breathes, that's swept by almost palpable weather. Villeneuve has not only attempted the most ambitious film project in modern cinema history, he's pulled it off with a breathtaking mixture of nerve and verve, too. The preview bearer well the burden of exposition and character introduction, and also featured two of the film's best action setpieces -not just visual-effects reels, but trials by fire of the camaraderie among this ragamuffin band of brothers. Putting formula blockbusters to shame, the film is impeccably cast and constructed with both care and passion. In unveiling the Holy Grail for science-fiction aficionados, Villeneuve has begun a series to rival Star Wars in the pantheon. It's finally here. The adaptation of the first installment from Herbert's Dune saga, and all I have to say is, "Wow." The filmmakers have shown great respect for their source material. I was moved by Villeneuve's passionate, caring, and human portrayals of these characters and dramas. Villeneuve's awesome (supposedly) two and a half hour film, seeming not enough time, is the most stunning science fiction film ever made. Once you've got your breath back one thought will prove hard to escape: Alejandro Jodorowsky and David Lynch might have a few sleepless nights from now onwards. After seeing the preview, it's hard to imagine any but the most nit-picky and dogmatic being disappointed by this epic, lovingly crafted movie. Only someone with a pathological aversion to science-fiction could fail to be absorbed and transported by this stunning, sincere and frequently visceral adaptation.

Simon says IMAX Presents: An Exclusive Look At Dune receives:

Also, see my review for Blade Runner 2049.