*SPOILERS*
Last week my friends and I went to another showing of Dune part 2, as of today, and I felt like sharing some more of my thoughts. And, with this post, this one will be full of spoilers. Both for the movies, and for the books. This universe is rich with story telling, and I would recommend experiencing it for oneself before reading a review slash deconstructing of the story.
With that, I want to discuss Paul, because he is the villain of the story. There is a lot that is taken out of the movie from the book, like the fact that Paul is a human computer. I understand why though, it does make Paul seem more cold and calculated, and that doesn’t always play well on the big screen. However, when reading the book, Paul uses the Freman for his own devices. While I would agree his love of Chani is real, Paul manipulates the Freman with the Bene Gesserit religious programing. He is ruthless in the books, to a point, but that was the point. Frank Herbert was pointing out how those in power manipulate those underneath them, and messiah figures are not always good people. I will say, and I joke a lot about this, Paul is a coward. That comes into play more in the two sequels, because Paul doesn’t want to do what needs to be done to stop the eradication of the human race by the outside threat that is coming. He would have to become a complete monster, which is something his son ends up becoming.
I bring this all up due to my friend pointing something out that I missed on the first viewing. And I felt so disappointed with myself for not seeing it the first time. Because of Star Wars. Han Solo, wears a white shirt underneath a black vest, because he’s a rogue with a heart of gold. Luke starts in white, but ends up in black as his innocents is taken. It’s like movie making one-o-one when it comes to costuming. Paul in this movie, while he is fighting against his future is wearing white, and them moment he embraces becoming the villain he’s in black. It is visually telling us his character switch.
That is why I will say this is still a faithful adaptation despite not having everything in the movie, because you cannot, and there were a couple of people who came out of the theater after us asking questions. A good adaptation tries to condense the story, capturing what is important, and leaving the audience with a desire to know more. Books have time, plenty of it, to craft a deep well of a story. Movies have a brief window to do so, where mini-series technically are a happy medium. That is the thing, I still think this book would be a better mini-series than a movie, and then all the political machinations can remain. The movie is focusing on Paul and his journey, and even the moments that deviate from that, tie into his story at the end. The Spacing Guild is extremely important to the overall story, but not the small condensed narrative of Paul and his rise to power. Movies focus on the emotions. I do think we will see more of them in the next film, when they join the Bene Gesserit in trying to assassinate Paul, but that is the thing they play a bigger part in the next two books.
This is not my joke, but Jessica really is sort of the villain, and I like how they highlighted that. She gives birth to a boy, she chooses (in the books) to drink the water of life pregnant, and she chooses in the second book to abandon both of her children on Dune. That is the thing, this is medieval politics in space, and nobles are not good people. They play the game of power. They manipulate the masses. Like I am stressing this, but it really is the story of the villains. Duncan Idaho sort of is the only really morally good character in the series. Chani as well, but that is because she is straight forward, and it cost her her life. Maybe it could be argued that Leto the first was a good man, and because he was so much went wrong. He is the one who wanted a male heir, and Jessica loved him.
I think I may agree about the purpose of the film, by the director, he was trying to recapture the feelings of old films. It indeed succeeds in that. This is a spectacle, the story is larger than life, and every image is used to visually tell the story. Like, my friend that went with me both times and I have discussed the opening, and it does feel like it is not needed. It sort of drags it down a bit, when the Freman, Paul, and Jessica hide from a Harkonnen patrol. But just watching the soldiers float in their battle armor, on the second watch, just was so stunning. Even the planet Giedi Prime having a black sun, that was stunning, and just a perfect addition. It feels like old science fiction where everything was possible, and the universe was massive from our lack of understanding. Everything on Giedi Prime, was just gorgeous, and it highlighted how Feyd-Ruatha was just a different Paul. Two sides of the same coin. Because they were, Jessica was supposed to have a daughter they could then marry to the Feyd-Ruatha, and that marriage would produce the Kwisatz Haderach. Their chosen puppet was coming, the ultimate being, that whey would control. However, it could be said, love destroyed that. As well as creating a Jihad across the stars.
All in all, I love this adaptation, it really does capture that nostalgic feel of film making and adaptations, while not just being a recreation to get money. There is a difference and I think it boils down to intent. I still stand by that this will revitalize filmmaking, maybe not right away, but new filmmakers will be inspired by this film. The cycle of inspiration will continue.
Matthew William Lindquist 