It’s been a long while since I read the book, but both the Dune (1984) movie and Frank Herbert’s Dune (2000) mini series (directed by fellow Exec Producer John Harrison) have been revisited more than the book. I think I’ve got a decent grasp on the overall story to note the changes that Denis Villeneuve and his fellow screenwriter Jon Spaiths have made to the narrative.
For one, the timeline has been compressed significantly in this second part of their adaptation. This is evident by Jessica’s pregnancy and Princess Irulan’s journal entries. Otherwise, the story for this part should have transcended years instead of the few months it seems to have taken – story-wise. It also means that certain characters you expected to be around have been jettisoned, which also brings some changes to moments where those characters were involved in the first place. Not that it actually impacts the spectacle that unfolds on screen.
Picking up where we left off, Paul (Timothée Chalamet) and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) join up with the Fremen where religious fervour is building around them. Stilgar (Javier Bardem) is a strong believer while Chani (Zendaya) is a little more pragmatic when it comes to prophecies that have been used to control her people. Despite that, she finds herself falling for Paul and his ideals while fighting to succumb to the prophecies. Jessica, on the other hand, does her best to fan the prophetic flames, particularly once she ascends to the position of Reverend Mother to the Fremen.
A lot of what happens here is why Dune has been difficult to adapt because there is a lot of overlap between the prophecies and the connivances of other religious beliefs, legends, customs, as well as political machinations coming together. All that against the backdrop of a war for control of a drug trade.
Under the banner of science-fiction, a lot of this is open to interpretation with layers upon layers of themes and ideas. And if you don’t want to tax your brain with all that, it’s still a spectacularly well-executed grand-scale epic of a movie that is vast in scope. The cinematography and framing gives us the scale more than worthy of a big screen, particularly with the sandworms framed against people first, and then buildings.
The stars do well to bring life to their characters with only a few small hiccups. Sure, it’s great to have Christopher Walken as the Emperor of the galaxy here, but he feels severely underused playing essentially Christopher Walken. He’s mostly just… there. Austin Butler excels as late-comer Feyd-Rautha, the other more psychotic nephew of Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård). A character that is quite different is Chani who has been given more agency instead of just being Paul’s girl-friend. To say more on that point is to spoil the movie.
Suffice to say, purists of the book should be satisfied enough with this adaptation thus far unless you’re going to nit-pick through the changes. It is unlike the swaths of changes put to the 1984 movie or the bits and pieces of the mini-series. Villeneuve and Spaihts have actually done a commendable job with the adaptation, and Villeneuve has put together a pair of cinematic masterpieces so far. Yes, at the time of this writing, Dune: Part Three remains a pipe dream even with a key casting already snuck in here.
That’s among other things that have been laid for a third part.
And yet – I can’t get past the whole Monty Python’s Life of Brian scenario for much of the first half, y’know.., how for a much as Paul’s protestations go where the prophecy is concerned: “Only the true Messiah denies His divinity.”
Which, of course, leaves him no chance with the true believers.
Ultimately, this is movie making at its finest with spectacle in mind. From the wiring and directing to the stars giving their all for their characters, the costumes and set designs, the subtle effects work, and then there’s Hans Zimmer’s music (and for some reason, I hear strains of themes from the mini-series). It does surpass Part One, but unlikely it could stand well without it.
This is one for the big screens, so best to catch it there.
Rating: 🪱🪱🪱🪱 /5
Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Written by Denis Villeneuve & Jon Spaihts
Based on the novel by Frank Herbert
Stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgård, Austin Butler, Josh Brolin, with Florence Pugh, and Christopher Walken
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Berning Away 