Image: Warner Bros.
I usually don’t write film reviews. Lately, I’ve become so lazy that I even stopped writing book reviews (though I still read a lot). But in this very case, I decided I should definitely share my opinion.
Why is it so?
Not so long ago, my husband and I went to the cinema to see “Dune: Part two”. But before experiencing it for myself, I, as always, decided to read opinions about this film and discovered plenty of negative reviews. Judging by what people wrote in these wretched FB groups, the film was: “a disaster, it differed from the book tremendously, Chani left Paul (which really didn’t happen in the book) because she was a spoiled brat, raging feminists were ruling the world, and Chani was ruling the Universe”. There were also claims about how “the director changed the film to make it approachable for new generation. Boo.”
I felt a pang of despair while reading these posts. Just to be clear – I love F. Herbert’s Dune; his novels are among my favorite sci-fi book series. So, the thoughts about the changes and simplifying hurt a lot.
Unfortunately, my brain likes to create the negative scenarios (probably so that it doesn’t hurt so much later). I went to the cinema with a heavy heart, trying to to relax myself by thinking “at least we went out”.
To my utmost shock – it was good. I can’t say the film was perfect, but I liked what I watched.
It was engaging, emotionally captivating, the actors played well, and all of their actions were justified. Whatever the claims were, the director didn’t change most of the main points. As far as I know, Denis Villeneuve wanted to make F. Herbert’s initial idea to beware the charismatic leaders/false messiahs more approachable, and this aim was achieved. Bravo. In the film we see Paul’s (played by Timothée Chalamet) faults, the fact that he is a clever manipulator, and Chani’s (played by Zendaya) reactions and decisions explicate that.
The fact that she leaves the protagonist serves this purpose in the film: in the book, she stays loyal to him because he explains to her that the marriage to princess Irulan (played by Florence Pugh) is political, he’ll never touch her and he’ll never have children with her, only with Chani. In the film Paul had never explained that, but it was emphasized that simple Fremen woman doesn’t belong to “the world of Dukes”, and doesn’t understand political games. So it is an expected behavior that she left her beloved when he proposed to another woman in front of her. In the book series, Paul and Chani had two children, and I wonder how the film will continue the narration. I recall that Paul envisioned her forgiveness, so maybe this will be the groundwork for later films.
Speaking about the crowd of ‘raging feminists’… I feel that people who wrote that are unfamiliar with the book series. It was written that Bene Gesserit (female order) de facto ruled the Universe, that Fremen women fought alongside with men, female armies were mentioned and so on. There was nothing that went beyond the F. Herbert’s descriptions. I just don’t get people who posted that. Seriously.
Other than that, the black and white scenes, the specific look and somewhat fascistic symbolism surrounding Harkonnens were curious additions. This should have probably intensified the sense of menace surrounding this family line. The beginnings of Alia: they way they’ve shown already the influence of the unborn child on her mother are also very intriguing elements. Fremen society was portrayed very naturally and vividly, it felt alive. Unlike in many modern films, there was no addition that didn’t serve it’s purpose, and it was awesome!
What I didn’t like about this version of ‘Dune’ is that the film revolves mostly around moral/political issues, leaving aside philosophical ideals and mysticism which was the best for me in the novels. Yes, the director’s aim was reached, but I personally felt that the message became more shallow and deprived of certain mesmerizing poetry and magic so characteristic of ‘Dune’-related novels. It became very down to Earth and moralistic instead. I personally don’t even concentrate on morality, when I read or watch something; I like characters not depending on them being good or evil. Time, possibilities, history, magic, formation of the future lines – that is what is thrilling for me!
By the way, let’s not forget that Paul sees all possible variants of the future; how could he end up being pierced by daggers?
They could do better with music, which could bring more of this entrancing quality unique for the book series, instead of borrowing soundtracks from video games.
They omitted some scenes and details, like spice orgies or transforming blood to water, but I guess they did so because of children.
In the conclusion, it is worth watching, and the evening was really good 🙂 And I’ll never base my expectations or opinions on random people’s posts and stories again – it was a good lesson for me.
© MarvellousNightmare on Coconut Doesn’t Exist
You can contact me via leomoria93@outlook.com
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