TL;DR: Go watch it!
I don't think it's possible to spoil a story that's 56 years old, but I'll speak in generalities. To say this film is visually stunning is to minimize the world 'stunning.' Denis Villeneuve took everything he learned making Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 and elevated it to an entirely new level. The sense of atmosphere, of mood, of otherworldliness, is as remarkable and all-encompassing as any film I have ever been privileged to see.
It is sci-fi in the best ways possible, full of worlds and ways and technologies that are alien and foreign to us. But they are presented so subtly, and the worldbuilding is so fully realized, that it all feels utterly natural. This is the world of Dune, and we are simply living in it.
I'm not sure that Jason Mamoa is the embodiment of Duncan Idaho, but he is awesome regardless, chewing up every scene he's in. Oscar Isaac is...underutilized; he never really gets a chance to shine, and it feels like the Duke exits the stage too soon. Josh Brolin isn't particularly likeable, but he is well-cast as Gurney. Rebecca Ferguson turns in a fine performance, but Jessica isn't quite as forceful of personality (or cunning) as I would prefer. Sharon Duncan-Brewster is a pleasant surprise and very compelling as Dr. Liet Kynes. Zendaya as Chani looks great, but she doesn't really factor into the story yet and spends most of her screen-time staring *meaningfully* into the camera.
Some may fairly disagree, but I thought Timothée Chalamet was excellent. Yes, he's young, quiet and scrawny (even waif-like). But he has tremendous charisma (or maybe it's just the hair? IDK) and powerful screen presence.
The underlying plot is a bit thinly developed (particularly the motivations of various players) - I rarely say this, but I would have been totally fine with the film being 3 hours long (rather than its 2h 35min runtime). There was still room for diving deeper into the story. But at the end of the day, you're not watching it for a dissertation on imperial politics - you're watching it for a visual spectacle. And my goodness do you get that!
Yes, the ending is...unfulfilling, I suppose? But you go into this knowing it's only half the story. As one of the characters says, "This is only the beginning." And this beginning was such a joyful experience to watch. Also, Dune Part Two has now officially been greenlit, so we will get the rest of the story (in 2023….).
One pet peeve: I said this about Blade Runner 2049, and I'm saying it again now, with the caveat that as someone who is sensitive to loud noises, this might just be me. But Villeneuve always feels like he is using the audio to brutally beat you into submission! I was left feeling a little like I had a case of PTSD after the auditory abuse I took (metaphorically, of course). And the next time I hear a foghorn, I'm liable to cower in the corner and cover my ears....
