Dune Part II (2024)– Sadly It Sucks
Dune (201), at the time of its release, was one of the best movies I had seen in a while. It came at a time when my alienation from Hollywood and Western entertainment in general had reached a tipping point. The Western movie scene, speaking of the Anglo-American sphere, had by then become inundated with insufferable politically correct tropes, with a high point of this trend visible in the appalling anti-male Star Wars sequel trilogy.
Dune Part I which was postponed due to the 2020 pandemic, was much awaited by yours truly. As a fan of Frank Herbert’s bestselling book from 1965, and a fiend of the science fiction genre, it seemed that this might be a film franchise that could rival the legendary Lord of the Rings. The fact that the Canadian producer Denis Villeneuve, had decided to split the movie into two parts to account for the depth and complexity of the prose was welcome. And the trailers, notably the first major reveal that came in September 2020, were refreshing.
As a guy, Dune (1965), had almost everything I could ask for in a story: A male protagonist, a man of pedigree, whose life is set in a universe with great world-building and huge stakes. Whose fate is affected by the power of prophecy, and the unfolding tale of the chosen one: a narrative arc that never gets old. Set against impossible odds, truly fearsome foes and imperfect heroes the young man Paul’s journey towards manhood, leadership and apparent Godhood in a world, despite its far-future setting is ruled by mysticism, faith and fanaticism is fascinating.
Set in a backdrop where murmurs of betrayal and war grow stronger each day, it is a tale that artfully captures the hero’s journey, familial drama and human conflict with a solid dose of violence, brutality, corruption and licentiousness. And, it is a science fiction novel. Pretty much the only fiction genre that I read.
The first film of Villeneuve’s imagination was good verging on great, despite a handful of missteps. It was a bad sign when it was revealed that the film was going to be PG-13 when the contents of the yarn were more suited to a 15+ rating, or potentially higher. Having an African American woman play the role of Dr. Liet-Kynes: a White male character, who incidentally is the father of Chani, the future concubine of Emperor Paul Atreides was also weird. Villeneuve also went too far with the dream sequences. The only possible justification was to give Chani (Zendaya) some (unwelcome) screen time. A character who does not physically feature until the second half of the book.
Overall, the film was great. It had me excited for a Hollywood movie, probably not since the time of The Fellowship of the Ring (2001). However, the signs were there that things could take a wrong turn come Part II. And that’s exactly what happened.
Dune - Part II (2024) is Unfaithful to the Source Material
When adapting a renowned novel, particularly a masterwork that is beloved by a huge community of readers across the world, it is vital that the producers stay faithful to the book. Blockbuster on-screen adaptions of great literary works like Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings attest to this fact. Whilst Villeneuve was able to maintain the core events of the novel and tell a coherent story in Part I, in Dune Part II he fails to reproduce key events, narrative strands, character motivations and characters from the novel. However, if there is one word that can summarize the failings of Dune Part II, it would be, ‘women’.
Ugly Girl-Boss Chani (Zendaya)
In my essay Why Dune Matters, I took it easy on the elements of forced diversity that had crept into the first movie. Notably the race-bending of Chani, who is described in the book as having an “elfine face, black pits of eyes”. The half-African-American actress who got the role is not the type of person readers had in mind when they thought of Chani in the novel. Whilst I have nothing personally against the actress, her pervasive presence in a spate of movies in recent times indicates there is some level of astroturfing going on.
The actress Sean Young’s portrayal of the dark-haired beauty in the original Dune (1984) was spectacular, and given the sheer number of actors and actresses seeking roles in Hollywood owing to the terribly competitive nature of the American movie industry, one would think that an actress who better fits the novel’s description would have been found.
But no. Zendaya is what we are left with. But the problems don’t stop there. Looks aside, it would have been good if the producers had adhered to the novel’s characterization of the future consort of the ruler of the Atreides Empire, but it seems there was an agenda to present Chani in a light that is more favorable to what is that phrase: “modern audiences”. Besides being noticeably uglier in the second movie, she is present as impulsive, rebellious and ultimately as a character whose aims and possibly even loyalty, diverge from that of Paul. This is not the case in the book.
The novel’s powerful ending (spoilers): when Paul Atreides takes the imperial throne by arranging a political marriage with Princess Irulan, then promises no union with his new wife, and vows to be faithful to his Fremen partner. Chani, however, expresses doubt. Jessica Atreides, Paul’s mother, responds with what become the final lines of the book. Providing closure to her story of being a concubine but at the same time a woman of great power and significance. A fate that will be shared by Chani:
“Think on it, Chani: the princess will have the name, yet she’ll live as less than a concubine – never to know a moment of tenderness from the man to whom she’s bound. While we, Chani, we who carry the name of concubine – history will call us wives” (1).
Villeneuve makes a big mistake in the ending of Dune Part II, with the shot of Chani with an angry look, waiting to mount a sandworm, clearly in rebellion to the royal mandate. And quite frankly, it was a bad idea to end an epic story about the boy who becomes the leader of a rebellion, a prophet, and then ruler of known space, with the clip of a character who appears to be in defiance of his will. And did I mention that Zendaya without her makeup is an absolute eyesore?
Absent Alia Atreides
Alia Atreides, the sister of Paul Atreides is a notable omission from Dune (2024). This decision for me, arguably more than anything else, is what turned me off Villeneuve’s efforts the second time around. The fact that a key character in the second part of the book was removed for, what could only be understood as politically correct reasons, was a miss.
If good filmmaking is about taking risks and pushing the frontiers of the creative enterprise in the realm of visual storytelling, then Dune presented an unbeatable opportunity. In the first Dune novel, Alia Atreides represents one of the truest depictions of sci-fi horror. As a fan of hard science fiction works from the likes of Alastair Reynolds, where elements of dread and despair are artfully woven into the main plot, that adds another layer of stimulation to the reading experience.
Alia Atreides, for those who don’t know, is four years old by the end of the first novel. She is the product of a complex ritual her mother underwent whilst she was pregnant with her. A forbidden practice, that imbues the then-unborn child with unspeakable powers. Known as “the abomination” in the book, Alia is a force to be reckoned with, and is eventually responsible for the death of the main antagonist of the story: Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (ibid).
For all the talk about presenting female characters in an empowering light, Alia’s presence in Dune (2024) in a manner that was faithful to the book, would have been a refreshing addition. Bringing some dramatic novelty to a film that was lacking in other areas. As for the counterargument that Alia is just a child. Maybe. But that has not stopped filmmakers from adopting the girl-boss arcs for underage females.
Vivien Lyra Blair’s role as a young Princess Leia, in Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) is a case in point. Where the girl, who is around 10 at the time, was able to outrun and outmaneuver 3 grown (alien) men and is portrayed as a female with wit and agency in the show. Well, I guess the underlying rule of the strong female character arc, is that females can be tough and kick ass, but not morally compromised. But really, imagine how sick would it be to see a 4-year-old girl with mystical powers, working her way through the field of battle “killing enemy wounded and marking their bodies for the water-recovery teams” (ibid).
No Drama in Dune Part II (2024)
For a book rich in conspiracies, subplots, intrigue and familial conflict, Dune Part II, apart from the visual spectacle, is a rather bland affair. The Harkonnen scenes set in their home world of Giedi Prime do deserve praise. It was probably the only moment in the theater where I felt fully absorbed by the events on screen.
But there was little else. The world building whilst visually stunning in certain parts, lacked depth when it came to presenting the inner workings of the culture and norms that characterized their societies. The subplot involving the ephebophilic/hebephilia proclivities of the Baron is entirely bypassed.
One could say for understandable reasons, but I couldn’t help wondering that presenting the arch-villain of the novel as a rapist with a perchance for adolescent boys would have sat well with the gay community. Indeed, it would have been a brave move by Villeneuve and company to present the depravities of the Harkonnens on screen. Instead, the viewers are left with some homosexual innuendo in the scene leading up to the departure of the Harkonnen fleets from Giedi Prime.
The moments involving the Padishah Emperor and his daughter were weak. Princess Irulan is not tall, is not a real blonde, and does not command the charm and mystery of Virginia Madsen from Dune (1984). Casting the now 81-year-old Christopher Walken to play the role of the most powerful man in the Known Universe was a bad move. During the Battle of Arrakeen, the Padishah Emperor, who was supposed to be commanding his imperial forces did practically nothing as his armies were annihilated. He is totally unintimidating, and the costumes of the Corrino leadership sucked.
As for the final battle (The Battle of Arrakeen), whilst the combat sequences are great in terms of scope and cinematography, like in Dune (2021) it was way too short for my liking. The use of atomics, a decisive factor in the final battle gets very little screen time. The Sardaukar, who quickly overwhelmed the Atreides forces in Part I, were a shadow of their former selves here. The producers failed to showcase the differences in combat styles and battle systems between Harkonnen and Sardaukar forces: as to why the latter were superior, but ultimately inferior to the Atreides-led Fremen.
Conclusion: Dune Part II – A Movie not Made for men
Dune is a great book. And arguably the most important standard bearer for science fiction. Despite its (the book’s) inherent shortfalls, a subject that I have dealt with in Science Fiction as the Successor of Scripture, Dune is a tale that is immensely complex, artfully crafted and wonderfully presented. Denis Villeneuve, however, fails to pull it off. Almost purposefully.
All the ingredients were there for a cinematic masterpiece, but the producers were not able to, or unwilling to, or simply not brave enough to make bold artistic decisions to achieve it. They chose to play it safe. Choosing to prioritize a larger (modern) audience, rather than the core demographic that elevated the book and the first movie to fame. The anti-masculine spirit is noticeable here and it is unwelcome.
Ultimately, Dune (2024) is a bad movie despite its many (cinematic) positives. It lacks depth, character, and weirdly enough for a science fiction story, worldbuilding. The bane of the servant who thinks he is greater than his master is evinced in the final scene where Chani refuses to bow down to the new Emperor of the Known Universe. The ‘women are better than, or don’t need men’ feminism, which is repugnant to hot-blooded men around the world, is once again the root cause.
References
Herbert, F. (2010). Dune. London: Gollancz.
