I would also like to point out....
I said earlier in this topic that I don't really believe that some movies benefit from the big screen. This one really does. I went late in the morning, maybe 10 people there. It was glorious. Nice and quiet, no assholes ruining the experience for you. And yes, it made a difference seeing some of the scenes play out on the big screen.
Yes but for me it's become rare to actually go to the movies because most of these don't need the huge screen, especially drama or comedy/family movies. This one i just knew i had to experience it on the big screen before i dissect it at home for the xth vieweing.
Loved the movie. I knew how badly I needed to see the harvester scene from the first one. I did not know how badly I needed to see Paul's first time riding a worm. The whole thing was a visual and auditory feast. This is why we go to the movies.
I think the two years between films did everyone good. It gave them time to see what worked and what might have been better in the first film. And WOW did Chalamet step up.
But...
These two films misused Jessica terribly. My two favorite characters (Jessica and Thufir) got kind of a raw deal from these films.
I can't help but notice that the word "jihad" is still never said in this film but boy howdy do they get a lot of mileage out of "fundamentalist". They're even "southern fundamentalists".
As others have noted, you can't do every tiny thing or even every moderately sized thing from The Book. But a mitigating measure to that is "don't manufacture a major plot line" (the conflict between believers and non-believers in the Fremen culture).
I can see (I suppose) wanting to avoid the complications of 3 year old who must act like she's 60. And Paul killing the Baron is more direct. Fine.
But ending the movie with Chani and Paul estranged while Jessica stands firmly by his side (as almost the hand behind the throne)? Well and good I guess, but not the same story. It's actually the opposite of the original story where Chani was unswerving and Jessica was the disbeliever (and leaves Paul in the end). I wonder how that will lead to wherever Dune Messiah takes us?
Aside from depriving me of the final line of the book, the movie treats Chani's reaction to Paul taking Irulan as a wife like they're high school sweethearts. "How... How COULD you?!? *sob*" Feh, I say.
Paul says he'll blow up the spice and no one really cares. It's just burning money. It's not bringing the Imperium and the human race to its knees. So the ending was a little anti-climactic.
For all of the things to include, it's amazing that he included Lady Fenring having Feyd's child. Even Herbert went nowhere with that. Gotta say, the Giedi Prime scenes were astonishing.
Oh, and Mohiam engineering the destruction of the Atreidies to end the line was... Well, I was going to say nonsense. Different from the book. But it needs a lot more explaining. Is this the Sisterhood's plan? Is she acting against it?
Paul actually being the Kwisatz Haderach is downplayed because it's a real thing and separate from the Femen "made up" culture that "enslaves" them.
The last scene just need Yoda to say "Begun, the holy wars have."
An amazing film. I'm sure I'll see it again, and I'll certainly buy it when it's available. Still the best Dune adaptation. That's a very low bar and this film clears it admirably.
But I just re-read the last two pages of Dune. And this movie didn't move me half so much.
I don't know if it's a manufactured storyline with the North vs. South Fremen, Villeneuve took a concept and expanded it on his own to show Paul's struggle with his destiny. Once the Northern Tribes were basically wiped out by Feyd's attack it was the final push and his need for vengeance took over and he took the path he was always afraid too.
I was also surprised to see the rift between Paul and Chani - it worked in the movie and i have serious doubts Villeneuve will make such dramatic changes to allow Paul and Chani to become enemies or Paul and Irulan to actually become a real couple. I am very curious how this story will play out in Messiah, Villeneuve would not have done it if he hadn't planned something special.
Mohiam engineering the destruction of the Atreides was logical for me. Jessica shot their plan to hell by giving Leto a son and they didn't believe they could control him. As is said in the movie they have alternatives, most recent the coming child of Feyd and Margot. What's a delay of a generation or two when they are at it for thousands of years.
I also understand why Villeneuve only used the basic concept of the KH and downplayed Other Memory - it is enough for the story for him to be able to see the future and his terror at what he will unleash ( and his inability to prevent it).
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