Critics say the movie “Dune” will thrill ardent fans, which may baffle others

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 3 (Reuters) – The long-awaited remake of the epic sci-fi movie “Dune” garnered critical acclaim Friday for its stunning visual show, though some initial critics said it only the toughest fans would enjoy the tales.

“Dune” debuted Friday at the Venice Film Festival and will hit theaters and HBO Max broadcast service on October 22nd. The film is adapted from Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel about an intergalactic battle to control a precious resource.

The book became a much-criticized 1984 film directed by David Lynch. Fans hoped Denis Villeneuve’s new film would capture more of the spirit of Herbert’s work.

Starring Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya, the film “earns five stars for building world and about two and a half for telling stories,” variety film critic Owen Gleiberman said. “It’s not just that the story loses its pulse. It loses the sense that we are emotionally invested in it.”

Eighty-five percent of the 27 reviews collected on the Rotten Tomatoes website were rated positive as of Friday afternoon.

Some predicted that the film would compete for Oscars in cinematography and other technical categories.

Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph called it “science fiction at its most majestic, haunting and enveloping” and Xan Brooks of The Guardian praised the film as “box office cinema at the time. dizzying and dazzling “.

Entertainment Weekly’s Leah Greenblatt gave the film a “B” rating.

“If you’re already on your knees in Herbert’s mythology, you’ll get excited with every word whispered; if you walk in unknowingly the difference between a Holtzman shield and a hole in the ground, it’s a longer walk,” Greenblatt said.

David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter also said the “arcane” details could delight “Herbert’s geeks, but most of the rest would be out of the area.”

“It does not invalidate the frequent assertion that the book is immovable,” he added. “At least not in part of what is billed as a two-part saga.”

Lisa Richwine Reports; Edited by Mark Porter

Our standards: the principles of trust of Thomson Reuters.