Dune. The simplicity of the name upholds the plot's mystery — just enough context for the title to make sense without giving away much of the story.

I have always liked titles like these. At first, it may not be inherently obvious why that was the chosen title, but it becomes evident during or even after the movie has finished.

The moment the theater dimmed and the screen faded out, I felt a hush wash over everyone in the theater. The light illuminated the room, and the movie opened up to a beautiful yet dramatic scene. Immediately, we were thrown into this new world of planets, space, war, and potentially even magic. We followed the heros, catching glimpses of the saviors and running from villains. Like many other movies before, it seemed expected of us to catch up with the pace of the movie as it went on. However, as minutes passed, it seemed like their world was moving a mile a minute. For about an hour, I was perplexed. I knew so little about the movie, I was not even sure what the main character's name was. I was confused, trying to absorb new concepts and words that were thrown at us.

The confusion, however, did not last forever. As soon as the movie's details and elements snapped into place, it felt like the movie slowed down. On paper, the movie seemed very eventful: betrayal, action, and adventure. However, despite those attributes, the movie felt uneventful and slow. At first, I could not tell if the movie seemed adventurous because I did not understand what was happening or there was just more plot at the start. From then on, the movie seemed slow and boring.

On top of the movie's pace, some of the dialogue was rather hard to understand. Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, is the main character, with many lines throughout the movie. Despite that prominent role, he seems to mumble many of his lines. Timothée Chalamet and other actors’ mumbling and low tones may contribute to many factors of the movie, such as the slow pace and confusion at the beginning. Maybe, if the dialogue were clearer, a more substantial plot would be apparent. Same with the confusion; maybe if my family and I could have heard more of the lines, we would not have been as confused.

Even though some lines may have been difficult to hear, I could not help but notice how beautiful the movie was. Each shot was stunning, indicating how much thought was put into each scene. The world was awe-inspiring. The majority of the film was shot in a desert, a very simple landscape, but with unique lighting and wide shots, I grew to appreciate its simplicity. The sand, if you looked closely, almost seemed to glisten, unlike any beach you’d ever see on earth. This slight shimmer to the sand was not only beautiful but a gentle reminder of the movie’s initial plot. Additionally, in almost every shot there was a detail to focus on, causing you to “zoom in” on the graphics, not just look at them from afar.

However, as the movie came to a close, the thought occurred to me that it seemed like a fantastic lead-up to a sequel. To me, Dune seemed to build in a way that made the thought of seeing the next movie rather intriguing. Although the pace of Dune may be relatively slow, it leaves a good question of what is going to happen next. The events that occurred throughout the movie were slightly bland, but also a little surprising. How Paul Atreides will deal with his chosen path, and other occurrences throughout the movie, is very intriguing to me, as his persona seems wise, thoughtful, and caring.

Many of the characters had lovely personalities. The longer I watched the movie, the more I liked the characters. In particular, I found Paul very interesting. When needed, he would act up to his role as leader, as many people looked up to him and his family. Although the movie never mentions his age, Paul is about 15 years of age, according to Frank Herbert's book, on which the film was based. After I got home from the theater, there were so many questions about the film zooming around in my head. Had the movie not made important aspects clear on purpose? Or did I just miss most of the movie? Nevertheless, I did a little research into the movie to make the details clearer, such as how old Paul was, and certain characters’ power status. During many moments throughout the movie, you would never guess his young age based on his wise, thoughtful persona. However, the teenage light does shine through at several points throughout the movie. Jessica Atreides, Paul's mother, is also a great character. While being there for her role as concubine to Duke Leto, she also is a kind and caring mother and helps him become the strong character he is today.

Mystery. Was there any? Although the plot may not have been obvious, most events seemed a little predictable. In no way was Dune the best movie I have ever watched. In fact, having no prior knowledge about Dune whatsoever, I even needed to do a little background research into it to strengthen my understanding of the film. However, I am not saying Dune was a bad movie; it was rather enjoyable overall. The graphics were stunning and made the movie a lot better. There was quite a bit of mumbling and confusion toward the beginning of the movie, which had a significant effect on my opinion. Ultimately, I give this movie 3 ½ stars out of five. Points taken for confusion, slow pace, and the dullness of the plot, but points given for graphics, and positive reinforcements for a possible sequel.