Dune: Part Two (2024)

While the Harkonnens reestablish control of Arrakis, Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) learns the Fremen ways and joins them in their efforts to fight the Harkonnens.  He takes the name Maud'Dib, so the Harkonnens are unaware that any of the Atreides clan survived.  His mother (Rebecca Ferguson), a Bene Gesserit, drinks the Water of Life in order to replace a dying Reverend Mother.  However, she is pregnant and the Water of Life has a profound impact on her unborn daughter.  Thanks to Paul's exposure to spice, his selective breeding, and his Bene Gesserit training, he has abilities beyond normal men.  He was already suspected of being a savior in the first movie, thanks to prophecies that the Bene Gesserit have spread among the Fremen for centuries.  Now that Paul is a brilliant war commander, opinions that he might indeed be the Madhi spread across the face of Arrakis.

While the Fremen confront the Harkonnens, Paul and Chani (Zendaya) are drawn closer together and become lovers.  Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) has not been idle.  He has groomed his psychotic nephew, Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler), to assume command of Arrakis, displacing his brother, Rabban (Dave Bautista).  The stage is set for an eventual clash between Paul and Feyd, each of whom is the result of centuries of selective breeding.

Overall, this is a great movie.  Very entertaining, good pacing, great visuals.  My biggest issue with the movie was that Jessica was still pregnant at the end.  Therefore, Paul goes from desperate refugee to emperor of the known universe in less than 9 months.  It took somewhat longer in the book.  It also took longer in the 1984 version, though the introduction of Paul's super precocious little sister was quite jarring.

The movie ends with a clear path for a sequel.  In fact, it ends on something of a cliffhanger as the Fremen travel into space to being a holy war in Paul's name.

Great popcorn fun and recommended.  I eagerly await the next one.

Dune (2021)

It is the year 10191.  The story opens on Dune.  Chani (Zendaya) explains how the Harkonnens have ruled the planet since before she was born.  The Harkonnens have become richer than the emperor thanks to the spice, a substance found only on Dune.  Now, inexplicably, the Harkonnens are gone by imperial decree.  She wonders who the next oppressor will be.

On Caladan, Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) awakens with a dream of Chani still lingering in his mind.  He has visions, not all of which come true.  He is a skilled swordsman; he fights sword master Gurney Hallek (Josh Brolin) to a draw.  He has some training in controlling others with 'The Voice.'  His mother, Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), is a Bene Gesserit, an order of women with seemingly magical powers; the powers have been achieved through selective breeding and consumption of spice.  Paul idolizes Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa), a skilled warrior and big brother figure.  Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), Paul's father, has been called upon by the emperor to assume command of Dune and make the spice flow.  He accepts the assignment but knows there is more to this than it seems; it's a trap.

Arriving on Dune, Leto seeks to ally himself with the native Fremen; he doesn't want to be an oppressor like the Harkonnens.  However, the Harkonnens have left Dune in ruins, making it nigh impossible for Leto to meet the spice demands.  Worse still, there is treason afoot and saboteurs hidden.

Despite a two and a half hour runtime, the movie ends in the middle.  The sequel will have to complete the epic.  What is here is vastly superior to the 1984 version, and not on account of the better special effects.  The characters are given an opportunity to develop.  Duncan has lots of interaction with Paul and shows the bond between the pair.  Whereas anyone who hadn't read the book would wonder at the inclusion of Duncan in the previous attempt, here he comes to life and plays an important part in Paul's journey.  Lady Jessica likewise has more opportunity to develop.  Rather than an occasional support figure for Paul, she is a main player in the events.  Gurney has dispensed with the funny guitar, dramatic quotes, and laptop dog to become a hard-as-nails military man.  He's less quirky than Patrick Stewart's portrayal.  Likewise, the Harkonnens are much better.  Stellan Skarsgard's Baron Harkonnen offers measured and thoughtful villainy, rather than the obnoxious rants of a madman.  Indeed, where the last incarnation was wild and out of control, this baron is a chessmaster who has planned many moves ahead.  Beast Rabban (Dave Bautista) is full of anger and brutality, but he isn't a grinning, mindless thug with food spilling out of his mouth.

This is an excellent sci-fi epic and should definitely be seen on the big screen.  Thumbs way up!

Dune (1984)

The story opens with exposition about the universe in the year 10191.  The Emperor (Jose Ferrer) is confronted by members of the Spacing Guild.  The Guild is unhappy with his political machinations that appear to threaten the flow of spice, the life blood of the Guild.  He explains that he is seeking to undermine House Atreides and that House Harkonnen will resume control of spice mining soon after.  Before they leave, the Guild demands that Paul Atreides, the son and heir of the current Duke, be killed.

Meanwhile on Caladan, homeworld of House Atreides, Paul (Kyle MacLachlan) demonstrates his skills.  He has keen senses to know who is approaching simply by the sound of their gait, adept in knife combat, and in use of the sonic weapon of the weirding way.  Next, he is tested by the Reverend Mother of the Bene Gesserit.  The Bene Gesserit are a sisterhood with the power to bend others to their will, not unlike the Jedi Mindtrick.  After surviving the ordeal, Paul joins his father, Leto (Jurgen Prochnow) and the notables of House Atreides in instantaneous travel to Arrakis, the planet of spice.

On Geidi Prime, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Kenneth McMillan) plots the destruction of House Atreides.  Among his retinue is Feyd-Rautha (Sting), the heir of House Harkonnen.  The Harkonnens are wildly outlandish.  The baron shrieks and yells, just about his only form of communication.  One might say he has a short fuse, but he doesn't seem to have any fuse at all.  He's a series of emotionally-charged outbursts.  Rabban (Paul Smith) and Feyd-Rautha stand around with wicked grins while the baron berates everyone.  Only Piter De Vries (Brad Dourif) appears to possess a coherent thought.  As a whole, the Harkonnens are portrayed as comically evil.

As the source material is extensive and time is short, the movie is densely packed with exposition and the voice-over inner thoughts of the various characters.  Then there are Paul's enigmatic visions with more narrated thoughts.  Some characters who are obviously important feel tacked on.  Duncan Idaho (Richard Jordan) is greeted warmly by Paul, intimating a strong bond.  Duncan is a great warrior, but, when the Harkonnens attack, he dies after the briefest encounter.  I guess he wasn't that great.  Clearly, he was important in the book but he could easily have been removed from the movie.  Then there was Shadout Mapes (Linda Hunt), a Dune native who serves as housekeeper.  As with Duncan, it feels as if there was more to the character in the novel.

Gurney Halleck (Patrick Stewart) is bizarre.  He is introduced with a musical instrument over his shoulder and called a troubador-warrior.  He even offers some music to the Atreides principals before they travel to Arrakis.  He offers a melodramatic oration after Paul survives an assassination attempt.  During the Harkonnen attack, he charges to battle with a dog tucked in his jacket.  What the heck?  This may have seemed really cool in the book, but he looks like a crackpot here.  It is amazing that Gene Roddenberry cast him in Star Trek after this performance.

The constant reference to prophecy gives the eventual conclusion of the film the feel of inevitability.  Look, Paul has met this part of the prophecy.  Hey, there is yet another sign of prophecy.  The introduction of his younger sister in the climax doesn't fly.  There needed to be a lot more streamlining and editing to fit this much story into 3 hours.

Not terrible but far from good.  Most of the special effects have not aged well, especially the personal shields that make the characters look like Minecraft characters.  The fish-like navigator swimming around to fold space was entirely unnecessary.  However, it is worth seeing now to compare with the Denis Villeneuve version that is currently in release.