Critics praise Villeneuve's Dune as epic sci-fi, but The Times finds the drama lacking
- Critics at the Venice premiere largely praised Denis Villeneuve's Dune, and The Independent and The Telegraph each gave it five stars.
- The Times gave the film two stars, calling the visuals jaw-dropping but the drama lacking and the overall effect kind of boring.
- The Independent's only criticism was the lack of Middle Eastern or North African actors cast as the Fremen, whose language and culture draw on Arabic Bedouin tribes.
- The film had an estimated budget of $165 million (£119m), and The Telegraph's Robbie Collin said fans of Game of Thrones would enjoy it.