One of the year’s most eagerly anticipated movies, Dune, is finally here. It was first reported that director Denis Villeneuve (Arrival, Blade Runner 2049) was working on an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel in 2016, and excitement grew as he attracted a top drawer cast led by Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac and Charlotte Rampling.
The hype only snowballed as the trailer gave us glimpses of the film’s stunning visuals and undeniable sense of grandeur. Then, Dune premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September received mostly very positive reviews from critics. It currently holds an 83% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
This is all the more remarkable because Herbert’s novel has often been described as “unadaptable” due to its complex plots and the way it deals with deeply serious themes like religion and imperialism. A previous Dune movie made by Twin Peaks director David Lynch in the early ’80s is widely regarded as a valiant failure.
Now, since the new Dune opened in cinemas Thursday, the internet is awash with positive reactions to the 156-minute epic.
Not to be “you MUST see it in the theater” guy, but I saw Dune in the theater and you should see it in the theater. It was like i was in the friggin dune. My head was the size of a grain of sand. I should teach film at college, I’m great at talking about it
— Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) October 24, 2021
Just saw Dune and wow, it was incredible! Do yourself a favor and see it, easily one of my favorite movies out this year pic.twitter.com/wFmIJM43d4
— hankstergirl (@hanksterrgirl) October 22, 2021
HOLY MOLY. 10/10. @dunemovie. amazing.spectacular.would die for timothée chalamet. the music is mind blowing.
— rowan (@99rowantrees) October 23, 2021
#Dune was absolutely insane. The visuals, world building, score, costume design. *chef’s kiss*
May just be one of my favorite sci-fi films to date IF Part 2 gets greenlit 🤞
— julie 👻🍄🍂 (@julesie__) October 24, 2021
Other fans are having fun with Dune‘s panoramic desert visuals by deliberately confusing it with other desert-set pop culture landmarks such as Mya’s “Case of the Ex” video and, um, Sex and the City 2. Check out some of the funniest Dune memes below.
DUNE (2021) pic.twitter.com/9jmPV5RIhr
— Paul McCallion (@OrangePaulp) October 23, 2021
Dune (2021) pic.twitter.com/TO6hXVSNv0
— R (@rafayagha) October 24, 2021
Dune (2021)
idk I didn’t watch the movie pic.twitter.com/ss20sQhbIX— krug (@krugst) October 23, 2021
The CGI for the sandworm in Dune was incredible pic.twitter.com/cNmqsKCZS2
— brian (@_sad_bear) October 24, 2021
dune was insane 10/10 pic.twitter.com/mzBROsz1fD
— Alex “Little Nut” Dobrenko (@Dobrenkz) October 23, 2021
Meanwhile, over on TikTok, a video of Timothée Chalamet just being Timothée Chalamet at the Dune premiere has gone viral. Nature really is healing.
@e.ruffo I can’t believe I recorded this today #timotheechalamet ♬ rumour has it x maneater – allie bennett
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?