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!

Chernobyl

The HBO mini-series opens in April 1988 with Valery Legasov (Jared Harris) recording his conclusions and opinions regarding Chernobyl.  After carefully wrapping the cassette tapes in paper and hiding them for some unknown contact, he kills himself.  The narrative resumes with Lyudmilla Inatenko wandering her apartment in the middle of the night when she spots an explosion.  Moments later, the shockwave hits and her husband joins her to stare at the distant blaze.  Meanwhile, inside the nuclear plant, the technicians are trying to determine what just happened.  Anatoly Dyatlov (Paul Ritter) is the man in charge but he spends all his time laying blame and denying that there has been an explosion.  Nuclear plants meltdown but they do not explode.  Soon, Lyudmilla's husband, Vasily, departs for the fire; he is a firefighter.  As he fights the fire, it becomes obvious that the site is highly radioactive but the fire must be fought.  It is at this point that Legasov is summoned to a meeting in Moscow where he learns of the disaster and is dispatched with Deputy Minister Boris Shcherbina (Stellan Skarsgard) to determine the severity and provide solutions.  The situation is indeed dire and many Russians must sacrifice their lives to save millions.

The 5 part series shows both the heroic efforts to contain the disaster and also the political minefield of doing so in a communist state.  At one point, they get their hands on a German robot which fails immediately because it is rated to the 'stated' radiation level rather than the actual radiation.  Lying is too often the default setting and it proves catastrophic.  Without a robot, more Russian men must clear radioactive debris.  By the end, one has massive respect for the Russian people and contempt for the Russian government.

Great acting, high drama, and even educational.  Thumbs up!