Five scenes to define the work of Denis Villeneuve
Few figures are as key to the very essence of modern cinema as Denis Villeneuve right now. In the middle of a truly remarkable career as a film director, the Canadian auteur has proven himself to be one of the greatest filmmakers of his generation with a series of absolute masterpieces.
Possessing the visionary outlook of a creative genius, painstaking attention to production detail and a passion for nuanced, intense and emotive storytelling, Villeneuve is capable of putting together a film of the highest order, as shown through a collection of works varying in style, tone and genre.
From his early works like Polytechnique and Incendies, his breakthrough with Enemy and Prisoners, and his impressive contributions to the world of science fiction with the likes of Arrival, Blade Runner 4049 and Dune, Villeneuve has journeyed from promise to stardom, becoming one of contemporary film’s most cherished heroes.
There have been countless memorable scenes from Villeneuve’s movies, often shot by cinematographers Roger Deakins and Greig Fraser, and we’ve done the service of putting together a list of five of the best that seems to define the director’s overall brilliance. Enjoy.
Five iconic Denis Villeneuve scenes:
Sicario – Dinner scene
Sicario is jam-packed with truly glorious cinematography by the ever-masterful Roger Deakins, and it features some of the most amazing shots of Mexico and New Mexico in cinema history. The film also boasted a genuinely intense narrative of criminal enterprise and conspiracy, and it all culminates in a legendary dinner assassination scene.
Benicio del Toro’s character is finally afforded the chance to take revenge on the drug lord who killed his wife and children and approaches his enemy and his own family as they eat dinner in their villa. Deakins is again on top form as Villeneuve toys with his audience as Alejandro dishes out vengeance once and for all.
Blade Runner 2049 – “Hello, handsome” scene
While many of Villeneuve’s best moments have been high-octane, visceral pieces of cinema, he’s also displayed a capability for more tender scenes, say the one in Blade Runner 2049 where Ryan Gosling’s K is met by a hologram product with whom he’s already shared an intimate relationship.
“Hello, handsome,” the hologram calls out, bringing in memories of the past to the heartbroken and weary K, proving Villeneuve’s more emotional side. The scene is also absolutely stunning, let’s not forget, and sees the director pay homage to Philip K. Dick’s original novel and Ridley Scott’s film, and it also serves as the cementing of his position as one of modern science fiction’s all-time greats.
Prisoners – Interrogation scene
What would a director be without his actors? In Prisoners, Villeneuve proved himself to be a genius at bringing out the best of his cast. Who would have known that Hugh Jackman could be such a fearsome father? Or that Paul Dano could be such a creep? The pair shared a handful of on-screen moments together that possessed a frightening intensity.
One of the best scenes is when Jackman’s character interrogates Dano for information on the whereabouts of his two young daughters. Though he’s beaten him to an absolute pulp, Keller insists on pushing things further with Alex, and he grabs a hammer, smashing it down into the sink and into the wall, if not into Alex’s face. Clearly, this was a moment where Villeneuve enabled Jackman to bring his A-game.
Enemy – Spider scene
2013’s Enemy is perhaps the biggest headfuck of Villeneuve’s filmography and sees Jake Gyllenhaal play two physically identical yet characteristically different men. The film is certainly Lynchian in its approach to psychological surrealism and ends with a moment of fear-inducing terror: a huge fucking tarantula squirming around on the bedroom wall.
Discussing the scene in question in an interview with IGN, Villeneuve noted, “That, for me, is one of the best special effects I’ve seen in my life because you feel it’s real. And that’s why I think that so many times I’ve been insulted because people were very angry at me as they were too afraid. But it’s a powerful shot, yeah.”
Dune: Part Two – Sandworm riding scene
But if there is just one scene to epitomise the true cinematic genius of Villeneuve, then it has to be the pivotal moment in Dune: Part Two, where Paul Atreides finally proves himself to the Fremen by calling forth a sandworm and actually riding the damn thing as though he had been an Arrakis native all along.
The scene in question is one of the most memorable in the history of cinema and is a genuinely visceral experience that has to be watched on the big screen. Every grain of sand is felt blasting against the screen for what feels like an eternity; the camerawork is at an absolutely masterful level, the score thumping intensely. Simply Villeneuve’s greatest moment yet.
