Dune's Trailer Proves The Lack Of Fun Controversy Was Wrong
Dune has been criticized for looking like a joyless movie, and while the story doesn't exactly need "fun", the trailer proves it will have some.
The second Dune trailer shows that, despite criticisms and controversy around the movie being a joyless affair, Denis Villeneuve's film will have some fun elements. Dune has long seemed like a risky proposition for a blockbuster: the lore and world stemming from Frank Herbert's original novel is incredibly dense, and the past attempt to adapt it for the big screen - David Lynch's 1984 Dune - didn't work out well. The new movie has assembled an all-star cast that rivals Knives Out for a who's who of Hollywood talent, including Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Dave Bautista, Rebecca Ferguson, and more. But that's only one part of getting audiences on board.
One of the biggest obstacles Dune has faced thus far is the perception that it appears to be a movie without any joy or fun. These criticisms emerged when the first look images were revealed, proving controversial for how serious and militaristic the design looked, rather than something perhaps more fantastical or carrying a greater sense of wonder. That continued through the first Dune trailer, which revealed some plot elements book readers will be familiar with, but didn't necessarily sell the movie to mainstream audiences. Dune's second trailer, however, should do more to assuage concerns.
The new Dune trailer still has plenty of the more grounded elements that led to complaints the film doesn't have any fun or lighter moments, but it also has scenes that quite clearly go in the face of such criticisms. There's a much heavier focus on some big action scenes on Arrakis, whereas the previous trailer only gave a hint of the Sandworms, which makes this feel more like an exciting and potentially crowd-pleasing big budget epic, without trading on its complex themes or sense of grandeur. Similarly, the Dune trailer even finds time for some jokes and moments of levity, most notably coming from Momoa's Duncan Idaho, the swordsmaster for House Atreides. He clearly has a fun relationship with Paul (Chalamet), and that should allow for more light-heartedness and some comic relief.
Of course, it's arguable that Dune does not need to be fun or contain humor. It is by design an unflinching and heavy sci-fi epic that deals with many complicated elements surrounding politics, family, religion, war, and more besides. Not every film needs to be light or funny, and there's plenty in Dune's story that can be incredibly engaging and entertaining without necessarily being "fun." While parts of the book have been deemed unfilmable, there are aspects in this story - given its world, its factions, tech, alien creatures, etc. - that should allow for the movie to lighten the tone in parts and provide the thrills movie audiences may more typically be looking for. There's no reason Dune can't be dense, deep, and thought-provoking, while also offering up quips and stunning action set-pieces.
Based on the Dune trailer, at least, it may be getting the balance right. Of course, it could simply be that the marketing department has learned from previous mistakes - not just with Dune, but with the badly-marketed Blade Runner 2049, which bombed at the box office. The jokes from Momoa and the action sequences definitely feel like the more marketable elements of Dune, and so pushing them, even if they're few and far between in the finished product, males sense in terms of appealing to mainstream viewers. Elements such as Leto (Isaac) talking with Paul suggest there's a good amount of heart here too, rather than it being a cold movie. There's plenty in the trailer that long-time fans will love as well, but given this is planned as a two-parter, getting audiences in to see it will be crucial, and the trailer does a good job of making it more enticing.