| Credit: JJ Harrison |
So I just watched "Dune: Part Two" from 2024. The film is well-made and interesting after a fashion, but it moved me much less than I had expected. Certain aspects flet dragging. Such as...Chani, Chani and Chani. Did I mention Chani?
This female Fremen warrior constantly tries to sway the main protagonist, Paul Atreides, from fulfilling his dark destiny. And of course fails. The whole thing isn´t just boring. It´s also similar to the Padme-Anakin drama from "Star Wars". Maybe George Lucas got the idea from the "Dune" novels, who knows, but in Hollywood terms, Lucas has the primogeniture. Oh, and Atreides accepts his fate without too much questioning. The choice is grey-grey rather than black-or-white. Again, like Anakin´s choice in "Star Wars".
I never read Herbert´s novels, and probably never will, but I did notice that all other film or TV adaptations of this space opera are extremely colorful and flamboyant, to the point of cringe. Or is it camp? Denis Villeneuve´s style is markedly different. We´re obviously on a desert planet, and part of the film is actually in black-and-white (the gladiator fight). Not even the pseudo-Russian aristocrats look too fancy.
The reactions to "Dune: Part Two" from "Alt Right" trolls on-line were...interesting. Sure, they complained about Chani, but nobody seemed to notice that "Muad´Dib" (i.e. Paul Atreides) is really *the bad guy*. But perhaps the Alt Right really likes the idea of a Muslim jihad destroying the based Space Empire? As long as a *man* is in charge who refuses to listen to His Annoying Girlfriend. LOL. Besides, isn´t Paul (who looks rather whimpish for a Muslim Mahdi) really manipulated backstage by a cultish matriarchal sisterhood?
Funny have people can miss even the most obvious things.
With that, I close this little review.