WARNING: Spoilers Off applies to all Moments pages. There will be unmarked spoilers below.
For Dune: Part Two, see here.
- The film is quite upfront about how Timothée Chalamet isn't exactly the most physically intimidating action hero around (the best part of the scene is that Paul actually looks at his own arm, slightly confused, as if expecting to see some new muscle there).
- There's a chuckle-worthy lampshade of As You Know early on.Paul: You're going to Arrakis tomorrow, right? With the advance team?
Duncan: [completely deadpan, clearly anticipating something annoying] Yes, I am going to Arrakis tomorrow with the advance team. - The first scene the Voice is introduced in the film:Paul: Could you pass me that water?
Jessica: Make me give it to you.
Paul: Mom I just woke up. - When receiving The Emperor's emissary, Duke Leto Atreides urges Gurney Halleck to smile. Gurney insists through a typical Josh Brolin scowl that he is smiling, despite his face not doing much to show that.
- Also, Leto doesn't look at Gurney to notice that he's not smiling. He just assumes, based on experience, that Gurney is scowling behind him, and is right.
- Leto's only response to Gurney's reply is an eyeroll and head-shake of pure exasperation. It's extremely subtle, so as not to break decorum, but his expression is clearly one of, "For crying out loud, Gurney..."
- Once Leto stamps the Emperor's decree with his signet ring, indicating his acceptance of it. There is a long pause before he somewhat uncomfortably asks the emissary if that's it.
- Paul's line from the book about how he'd rather hear a song from Gurney than combat training is kept in, despite the film's version of Gurney being a far more serious and stern soldier. The mental image of him still having book Gurney's musical habits is hilarious.
- Adding to that is Gurney's response, where he flings a knife at Paul, embedding it in the table right next to him. Rather than call him out for throwing a knife so close to him, Paul simply says "That's rude!" as a retort.
- Leto does not want Paul taking unnecessary risks because he is the family's legacy. Paul points out that Leto's father used to fight bulls for sport. While at his grandfather's grave.Leto: (scoffs) Yes. And look where that got him.
- The (novel accurate) bull head trophy likely coming from his time sticking out like a sore thumb in the otherwise Space Romans-style and Brutalist-inspired architecture of House Atreides. The guy must have really insisted in his testament that they keep this thing around no matter what.
- In a bit of Actor Allusion, Leto confides to Paul that before becoming Duke, his real dream was to become a pilot.
- Funnier if you recall that before joining The Resistance, Poe Dameron was involved in the Spice trade.
- Jessica is training Paul in the Voice. Thus begins a Running Gag of her telling him his pitch is off every time he attempts it. When he finally uses it successfully against a Harkonnen soldier, Jessica tells him his pitch still isn't where it needs to be.
- When Stilgar is welcomed by Duke Leto as ambassador of the Fremen, he spits in front of Leto, and Gurney reacts as if this was an offense (not helped by how gruff Stilgar seems to be). Duncan, who lived among the Fremen for some time beforehand, is quick to explain him and Leto that Stilgar actually sacrificed humidity from his body (water is the most precious thing on Arrakis besides Spice) as a salute and sign of trust, then everyone does the same.
- Stilgar either doesn't understand court customs, or more likely expressly doesn't care. Upon being allowed into Leto's council chamber, he ignores Gurney's repeated order to advance no further, marching straight up to stand a few feet away from the Duke. His lack of concern for the mortal peril he seems to have put himself in by the misunderstanding makes Duncan's urgent interjections to defuse the tension that much funnier.
- Leto looks very uncomfortable flinging a loogie onto his own desk.
- After all this, Stilgar glances at Paul and says "I recognize you", then walks away. That's his reaction to meeting his Messiah.
- During the battle in the palace grounds, Duncan makes his way to the airfield and kills several Harkonnen troops guarding an ornithopter. The remaining Harkonnens raise their hands and get out of his way so he can take off in the ship and use it to lay waste to the other Harkonnen forces on the flightline.
- This is also paralleled with the Black Comedy of the two Harkonnen soldiers Gurney engages during the opening salvos of the invasion earlier. They've just landed on Arakkis, they've got an overwhelming force backed up by the Emperor's Sardaukar, and they're all hyped up and ready to kill some Atreides scum. And upon disembarking from their dropship, who's literally the very first Atreides soldier these two poor schmucks encounter? Gurney Freaking Halleck.
- The Baron having a personal banquet and complimenting a paralyzed Leto on the quality of his kitchen is as much Black Comedy as it is Nightmare Fuel. The Baron's already killed all Leto's men and occupied his home, yet he's taken time out of his schedule to, for all intents, raid Leto's fridge for a snack.
- Chani does not seem overly impressed when she first meets Paul. After he disarms one Fremen warrior and fights his way past several others to seize the high ground and threaten them with a gun, he only discovers that she's already up there after Stilgar orders his men to stand down, having parked herself right behind him with a knife at the ready. Also, he evidently found the most difficult way to climb up the rock, and she offers to show him an easier way down.
- When Paul has to duel Jamis, Chani offers him her knife, a family heirloom. She notes that it will be a great honor for Paul when he dies while holding it.
- She also tells him that Jamis is a great warrior, so he will make sure Paul doesn't suffer much.
- All this build up of Jamis's skill as a fighter means it can be darkly humorous to see Paul thoroughly outclassing him: attempting multiple times to get Jamis to yield, while barely suffering a scratch in return. Stilgar has to verify with Jessica that Paul is not in fact toying with Jamis in a traditional duel to the death.
