Yay for Chalamet!

Hollywood’s fascination with new talent is anything but. Since the birth of cinema, the search for the next big thing has yielded a wealth. Entire television shows have been dedicated to its promise. Growing up in the 90s, there was buzz around such notables as Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz and Leo DiCaprio. No greater comparison to Leo has arisen than Timothee Chalamet.

Burst onto the scene in “Interstellar,” Chalamet has made a name for himself as the new brooding heartthrob in town. Receiving an Oscar nomination for “Call Me By Your Name,” this lead to more opportunities in dramas like “Beautiful Boy,” “Little Women,” and “Lady Bird.” He is not without his charms; those blue-grey eyes flashing in intensity. A neophyte that seems wiser beyond his age, he has never truly helmed a blockbuster at this point in his career. That is until now.

“Dune” is, for all intents and purposes, an unfilmable text. As dense as Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” or “Game of Thrones”, the idea of even where to start is baffling. Back in the 80s, David Lynch made his big-budget debut directing a monstrosity. One that he begged to take his name off it. 2000 saw a miniseries on SciFi Network that was ok, but still mediocre. In 2013, Sony Pictures release a fascinating documentary on cult director Alejandro Jodorowsky’s attempt in the 70s which you should check out. Every effort, each endeavor in many ways seemed fruitless.

So here we find French-Canadian Denis Villeneuve take his crack at Frank Herbert’s tome. And if anyone can, it is him. The man has made a reputation of taking the most difficult material work visually. His last film, “Blade Runner 2049,” was a worthy successor to Ridley Scott’s original, building on the lore and taking it into new directions. “Enemy” took similar chances with Jose Saramago’s novel “The Double” for a powerful if enigmatic conclusion. My personal favorite was “Arrival” from 2016; a brilliant meditation on time, loss and language.

The question is, does Denis bring that same sensibility to “Dune”? The answer is a resounding yes. Cinematography so breathtaking that you feel every surface. Each ship and palace, although a visual effect, is fully integrated into the landscape. One of the best scores by Hans Zimmer enhances the experience more than overshadows. We are treated to the type of immersive sounds and sights not seen since “Lawrence of Arabia.” This is epic filmmaking.

Our story begins with the galactic imperium, a collection of worlds all angling for power of a planet. Arrakis is an arid desert world, valuable for a substance known as Spice. Its properties make is possible for intergalactic travel, an easy parallel to the Middle East. One overlord, the House Harkonnen, is pushed out for the House Atreides.

This is where Chalamet comes in as son of Duke Leo, Paul Atreides. He fits this role quite better than Kyle MacLachlan in the Lynch version. Young and unknowing in the world, we see him grow as the film progresses. A performance that is flanked by other capable actors such as Oscar Issac and Rebecca Ferguson as his parents. Jason Momoa and Josh Brolin work as great mentors and are fun to watch. Stellan Skarsgård was born to play a villain such as this. Some characters get short shrift like Javier Bardem and Zendaya, but given the ending it is clear this is part one of a greater saga to come. But a good beginning indeed.

In a strange turn of events, Chalamet is also featured in Wes Anderson’s new feature “The French Dispatch.” This was released about the same time as “Dune.” However, it is not enough time for this reviewer to see before publication. But maybe we shall speak of this soon enough. Happy viewing readers!

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