Dune Part 2
RobRoy > March 1st, 2024, 07:47 PM
A friend asked for my review, and since I provide mini-reviews on, well, pretty much everything (except horror) AND I didn't have a lot to do today, I caught an early showing. Now, don't get me wrong, because I did enjoy myself, and I never really felt the weight of time for this 165 minute epic, but here we go:
I actually felt the same about Part 2 as I did about Part 1. I wasn't blown away, but there were some vast "improvements" on the Lynch version (or the not-Lynch-version-by-Lynch) with is mostly the fantastic CGI and cinematography. There is definitely better worldbuilding, especially in Part 2 where we at least get more than a thumbnail sketch of the Freman society, and the various factions within. The political intrigue is also better explained, and certainly dives deeper into the Herbert/Dune lore.
One thing that continues to bother me - and no, it's not the lack of 80s synth pop - is that no one sweats. Recall this is a desert planet completely devoid of surface water, trees, or any kind of visible plant life, with scorching temperatures requiring everyone to be in the shade most of the time. Having living in several deserts, and visited several others, including the Mojave, this is a minor quibble. I put it right alongside how often many of the main characters are shown outside, in what should be the "heat" of the day without their water-conserving hoods and helmets.
Fine, that's two things. Again, they're minor, but since there are many times that the camera lovingly pans across the wastes, over battle scenes, or to watch the winds blow through someone's hair, you have plenty of time to contemplate.
Finally, and not sure if everyone already knew this or if it was just me, Part 2 doesn't actually end the story. The initial story arc is tied up, just as a new major obstacle is established. Of course, Herbert's Dune didn't end the story either, per se (the first book felt like a standalone, but there is now an entire series which is still growing). So . . . I get the sense that if Part 2 does well enough, Dune Messiah may be in our future.