Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” saga is arguably the best use of special effects ever accomplished on the big screen. Especially after 10 years of lackluster “Star Wars” films and Marvel’s endless CGI, “Dune” is a breath of fresh air. But it also creates some complicated problems for film and is a disturbing portent for the future of Western entertainment.
“Dune” and “Dune: Part Two” are so immersive and photo-realistic that it is difficult to ascertain what is real and what are special effects in each shot. Much of this is because Villeneuve shoots real things as much as possible and because the world of “Dune” isn’t populated by endless weird aliens like “Star Wars,” making it often possible to realize this fictional world with relatively little special effects.
He chose Jordan to be their real-world desert because of its unique mixture of massive rock formations juxtaposed with sand dunes. Not only does Jordan actually look like the planet Arrakis, but it feels alien because it was shot in a location that is alien to most viewers.
“Dune” is a sci-fi saga set in a distant future completely different from our own. This world is not just alien but somewhat fantastical, populated with hundred-meter sandworms and helicopters with wings like dragonflies. The main contributing factor to this alien quality is the seamless reality the viewer is presented with on the screen.
When you sit in a theater and experience “Dune,” you feel like everything you’re watching is actually happening.
