Dune

[g5000]

Finally, a version worthy of the book. The David Lynch version was a total piece of shit, and I like David Lynch.

They really went all out with the production values in this movie.

I'm not even a science fiction fanatic, though I have read more than my share of the genre.

As for sci-fi movies, I never got into the Star Wars stuff. Not at all. But I am a huge fan of the original Star Trek, though not of any other spinoff. I also enjoyed the new Battlestar Galactica until it went off on a wild LSD trip.

And I don't know if it counts as sci-fi, but I enjoyed the hell out of the Eureka series. Pure candy for the brain.

Dune is very well made and well acted. The various air and space craft are really cool. I like the dragonfly helicopters.

Now showing on HBO Max and in theaters.

 

[EvilCat Breath]

I just saw it. Why black Fremen? They aren't black in the book. Not enough of an explanation was given for the motivations.

 

[gtopa1]

Dunno if I want to see the movie; I disliked that last one though I have a certain view that movies rarely do the books justice. Star Trek YES; spinoffs.......meh...light entertainment, as was the whole Star wars thingy. Lost in Space was hilarious!! But Dr Who was amazing depending on the Doc and the Assistants. The sheila was aweful; woke idiocy!!!!.

Greg

 

[Devils_Advocate]

You must remember when the first Dune was made the director had limited amount of technology resources versus today time, so it can be forgiven even though I hated the first version and have yet to see the latest one.

I am more into Gene Roddenberry non-Star Trek stories and prefer Canadian Sci-Fy more than some of the mainstream stuff people enjoy, but that is just me…

 

[JoeB131]

Finally, a version worthy of the book. The David Lynch version was a total piece of shit, and I like David Lynch.

They really went all out with the production values in this movie.

I'm not even a science fiction fanatic, though I have read more than my share of the genre.

....

Dune is very well made and well acted. The various air and space craft are really cool. I like the dragonfly helicopters.

You're kidding, right?

Actually, it was an over-the-top action movie with kewl explosions, but it didn't have half the depth of the Lynch version. Even the Sci-Fi Channel Version was better with it's crappy Sci-Fi channel budget.

at 155 minutes, it doesn't give you anything the 137 minute Lynch version didn't give you, and that actually told the whole story.

Key concepts from the novel were glossed over, and frankly, if I hadn't read the book and seen the two previous versions, I'd have probably had a hard time following the story.

The movie omitted key characters, such as Emperor Shaddam, Princess Irulan, Feyd-Ruatha, (I'm sure they will be introduced in the next movie that will probably never get made) and glossed over others such as Thufir Hawat and Piter DeVries.

In their place, we got over the top action sequences, such as the Sand Crawler Scene that dragged on much too long, or Duncan Idaho's fight with the Sahdhukar warriors.

I just saw it. Why black Fremen? They aren't black in the book. Not enough of an explanation was given for the motivations.

Actually, the book never describes them as any race... and the story takes place far enough in the future where it is implied that racial groups and nationalities have largely disappeared, which is why you can have a character named Wellington Yueh, who can be portrayed by Dean Stockwell in the Lynch Version of some Taiwanese Actor you've never heard of in this one.

As for the Fremen themselves, yes, we don't get a lot about them in the first part of the book, either. That's all going to be hashed out in the second movie, just like it was hashed out in the second part of the book.

 

[JoeB131]

You must remember when the first Dune was made the director had limited amount of technology resources versus today time, so it can be forgiven even though I hated the first version and have yet to see the latest one.

I am more into Gene Roddenberry non-Star Trek stories and prefer Canadian Sci-Fy more than some of the mainstream stuff people enjoy, but that is just me…

Actually, the Lynch version holds up pretty well for a 36 year old movie. Frankly, I still prefer practical effects over green screen/CGI effects.

I have a pretty good opinion of the 2000 Sci-Fi Mini-Series, which is probably the most faithful to the books.

I'm going to go a step further, that apparently Dune is going to make 200MM in it's opening weekend internationally, which means it's a pretty good bet we are going to get part 2 after all.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Cinematography, special effects... the visuals.... magnificent. Extremely well done.

And that is where it ends.
It is 2 1/2 hours long... and around the 1st hour mark, you feel it. The movie has been stretched out purposefully so they can make part II
It gets downright boring and monotonous at times. This had no business being a 2 part movie, or if it did - then tell more of the story rather than simply drawing out scenes to make them last longer.
Also... sorry... can't identify with the main character, He is this skinny little mama's boy. And we are to believe this 90 lb. kid beats two seasoned military fighters in hand to hand combat?? No. It is not believable. To me, it seems he was chosen for his looks than his acting ability.

All in all... a major disappointment. Not because it was a terrible movie, but because it should have been a GREAT movie... all of the ingredients, a magnificent world with special effects that are just beautifully done. And that is all it has unfortunately.

Too bad.

 

[JoeB131]

I do want to throw something else out there... Did they dumb this movie down to make it easier to sell overseas, particularly China? It certainly seems like that.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I do want to throw something else out there... Did they dumb this movie down to make it easier to sell overseas, particularly China? It certainly seems like that.

My understanding is they had financial trouble and numerous conflicts and scheduling problems due to Covid.
But that is no excuse to make a sloppy storyline that meandered around, fumbling and painfully slow.
To me it is exactly like The Stand by Stephen King.
Epic book, full of characters and a complex story that needs it's parts to make it cohesive.
Dune is the same. It may never be done right on a screen.