This review has two parts, as well as many spoilers. The first part is the normie review, for non-sci-fi obsessives. Summary, it's a good film. The second part is for Dune fanatics. Here, I say it's a B. Nice work, but some important cuts and changes were made that prevent the movie from achieving greatness.
I.
Dune 2 gives you the story of Paul and Chani after Paul kills Jamis and is taken into the Fremen culture. The main take away points are as follows. First, this is now a fast-paced action film, with a nice dose of Dune lore. You don't see much that is new, but Fremen warriors have a lot of nice battle scenes against Rabban's troops.
Second, Dune 2 hits a lot of the book's main points in a very emotional and satisfactory way. For example, when Paul uses the maker hooks to ride the worm, it is very exhilarating. I also liked the way that Alia is awakened after Jessica takes the Water of Life. I think Normies will also enjoy some cool visuals, like the emperor's round silvery ship.
Third, the book resolves the basic plot tensions pretty well. Paul wants revenge against House Harkonnen and the Emperor and he gets it. It does this without drowning the viewer in Dune lore.
Overall, this film will work well for normal humans who want an action focused resolution of the first film. You also get some bonus features like Princess Irulan/Florence Pugh, Emperor Shaddam/Christopher Walken and, of course, lots of Zendaya. It’s great and we should be very happy to have it.
II.
The Dune fanatics are going to have very mixed reactions in response to this movie. Let me start with some big positives. One is simply that Dune 2 is a very well done and entertaining movie. For decades, Dune fans have dealt with films and tv series that had some serious issues. Dune + Dune 2 is a very nice adaptation of a book that you can show to your normie friends and not be embarrassed.
Another huge plus of the film is that it gets one big point - perhaps the biggest point - correct: Paul is no hero. Over and over, we're reminded that he is about to unleash a genocidal jihad on humanity and Paul is cool with that. Chani is brilliantly used to make this point. By the end of the film, she is disgusted with Paul and Zendaya’s best moments are when she reveals her profound disgust with the situation.
Despite these strengths, Dune nuts will find that there are some real issues. One is a major change in how Chani is portrayed. She is a more independent feminist character in the film than the book and that alters the tone of the film. For example, in the book, one indicator of Paul's new dictatorial status is that he makes Chani a concubine and she just has to deal with it. The concluding scene in the book perfectly encapsulates that when Jessica tells Chani that history will remember the concubines as the real wives. Brutal. In the movie, Chani is disgusted and just runs off, asserting independence.
The film makes odd alterations as well. Count Fenrig turns into Lady Fenrig, Bene Gesserit sister in the Baron's court. The crucial subplot about Baby Leto is cut for time's sake and that's a tragedy, as it makes Paul's choices easier to believe. Perhaps the worst cut is that Alia's role in the film is greatly reduced. She is barely in it and does not get to dispatch the Baron.
I will also add a note about visual texture. One thing that the David Lynch (1984) film and the John Harrison tv series (2000) get right is that different settings should simply look different. In contrast, all locations and buildings, with a few exceptions, have a uniform design concept. One weird exception is a gladiatorial scene in Geidi Prime. Same architecture and industrial design, but it was filmed in black and white. The film was too visually minimalist and needed more variation. At the very least, the Emperor’s social setting should be a little more visually rewarding.
The bottom line is that Dune and Dune 2 are misaligned brothers. Dune is a very canonical film that is more moody and slow burn. Dune 2 is a simplified version of the book that is a little more exciting, action packed, and easier for average viewers. So I am very happy with Dune and Dune 2 and it's a real cinematic achievement. At the same time, Dune 2's issues means that we do not have a really A+ adaption in the way that Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films are an incredibly excellent and faithful depiction of Tolkien's works. There is just too much of a drop and shift between Dune and Dune 2.
I recommend Dune 2 and I think few people will dislike it, but diehard fans will have many legitimate gripes about Dune 2.
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