The Secret Obsession That Makes Dune (And Villeneuve's Other Movies) So Good
Denis Villeneuve’s obsession with Frank Herbert’s Dune was no secret, but another fixation shaped all his protagonists over the last decade. In a recent interview, Villeneuve explained that one key obsession influenced much of his filmmaking. It wasn’t just Dune’s Paul Atreides who was affected by Villeneuve’s obsession, but also the protagonists in Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, Sicario, Enemy, and Prisoners.
The common denominators in Denis Villeneuve’s films were no coincidence. The slow churning suspense, the eerie atmospheres, and the storytelling that dug deep into the characters’ psyche served the same purpose; they fed one specific obsession. Curiously enough, the repeating pattern of his obsession seemed to have caught Villeneuve in the same conundrum as his characters.
Related: Why A Dune Character Design Change Hides A Major Book Secret
The recurring factor in Denis Villeneuve’s films was his obsession with the idea that humans can change. Like Paul Atreides in Dune, Officer K in Blade Runner, Louise Banks in Arrival, and Adam/Anthony in Enemy were hindered by preconceived notions of reality and existence. The arrogance of House Atreides haunted Paul. Officer K was sure that replicants could not procreate. Louise was convinced that time was linear, and Adam surely didn’t expect to meet his doppelganger in the door.
Denis Villeneuve’s directing wasn’t just a breath of fresh air in Hollywood; his obsession made the films positively addictive. So far, he has managed to find new and original ways to approach his fixation on individual growth. The concept that humans are intrinsically capable of change, but struggle to break free from past experiences, is wholly relatable. As explained by Villeneuve, people are
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