Dune 2021:
TL;DR Pros: Awe inspiring! (mostly)
TL;DR Cons: Some curiously languid (almost inert) parts-
Over all: A monumental, singular achievement in popular filmmaking.
Longer Review:
See 'Dune' in a movie theatre (if it's safe to do so); it's a movie that practically demands to be seen on a giant screen.
Reminiscent of Peter Jackson's 'Fellowship of the Ring', in that I remember when I first saw that movie, I was ok with it being slowly paced, at times, because I knew it was setting up HUGE payoffs (and it did: not only in the Orc battle scene etc., but overall, the third LOTR film, 'Return of the King', was the best in that series imo).
Although I am a defender of '84/Lynch-Dune', 'Dune 2021' was made for a post-'Game of Thrones' audience.
For a lot of pic's running time, 'D21' really is the best of both worlds (almost a beat for beat remake of 'Lynch-Dune' at certain points; & at others, it quite stunningly fits as much of the Novel's mythos, as is possible in a mainstream pic of this scope).
However 'Dune 21' is more akin in tone to EPIC fantasy like 'Thrones' or LOTR, than it is 'hard' sci fi; it def has a lot more ponderous, somber moments than, say, Star Wars; yet, punctuated with some jaw dropping action set pieces! This approach - deliberate, ponderous pacing; punctuated with grand payoffs -is the style that the film's director, Denis Villeneuve ('Prisoners', 'Blade Runner 2049') does exceptionally well.
To Villeneuve's credit, he seems to honor all past 'Dune' iterations; including the Sy-Fy miniseries (which I also defend as being better than it's given credit for).
Yet 'D21' is more operatic than any of the previous incarnations; it's trying to sweep you up into the world of Arrakis (more than David Lynch was capable of doing; as interesting and as beautifully weird as his 'Dune 84' is).
The strength of 'Lynch-Dune' was that it got the psychedelic tone more correct ('D21' could stand to be a little bit more weird) -- but Villeneuve, I think, (and I'm just speculating because I've never made it all the way through the novel) seems to better understand the epic scope necessary to convey a Galaxy full of dynastic rivalries, class warfare & political conspiracy.
And BOY! Is this movie EPIC; in fact, 'Dune 21' is more reminiscent of Ridley Scott than even Villeneuve's own 'Blade Runner: 2049' was, ironically. Yet think more 'Gladiator' than 'Alien' etc.
For me, that's what Villeneuve brings to the table and is what totally justifies his take on the material: His approach to 'D21's' scope is just so theatrical and grand!
I really think this is the next 'LOTR' (for Gen-Y) - A populist movie series that will eventually sweep the Oscars and get non-sci-fi fans into the books/novels & the larger Dune-Mythos.
It's the anti-marvel movie btw. And that's a good thing. It's doing something really different than all the pulpy comic book stuff. It is a thinking person's sci-fi approach.
TL;DR Pros: Awe inspiring! (mostly)
TL;DR Cons: Some curiously languid (almost inert) parts-
Over all: A monumental, singular achievement in popular filmmaking.
Longer Review:
See 'Dune' in a movie theatre (if it's safe to do so); it's a movie that practically demands to be seen on a giant screen.
Reminiscent of Peter Jackson's 'Fellowship of the Ring', in that I remember when I first saw that movie, I was ok with it being slowly paced, at times, because I knew it was setting up HUGE payoffs (and it did: not only in the Orc battle scene etc., but overall, the third LOTR film, 'Return of the King', was the best in that series imo).
Although I am a defender of '84/Lynch-Dune', 'Dune 2021' was made for a post-'Game of Thrones' audience.
For a lot of pic's running time, 'D21' really is the best of both worlds (almost a beat for beat remake of 'Lynch-Dune' at certain points; & at others, it quite stunningly fits as much of the Novel's mythos, as is possible in a mainstream pic of this scope).
However 'Dune 21' is more akin in tone to EPIC fantasy like 'Thrones' or LOTR, than it is 'hard' sci fi; it def has a lot more ponderous, somber moments than, say, Star Wars; yet, punctuated with some jaw dropping action set pieces! This approach - deliberate, ponderous pacing; punctuated with grand payoffs -is the style that the film's director, Denis Villeneuve ('Prisoners', 'Blade Runner 2049') does exceptionally well.
To Villeneuve's credit, he seems to honor all past 'Dune' iterations; including the Sy-Fy miniseries (which I also defend as being better than it's given credit for).
Yet 'D21' is more operatic than any of the previous incarnations; it's trying to sweep you up into the world of Arrakis (more than David Lynch was capable of doing; as interesting and as beautifully weird as his 'Dune 84' is).
The strength of 'Lynch-Dune' was that it got the psychedelic tone more correct ('D21' could stand to be a little bit more weird) -- but Villeneuve, I think, (and I'm just speculating because I've never made it all the way through the novel) seems to better understand the epic scope necessary to convey a Galaxy full of dynastic rivalries, class warfare & political conspiracy.
And BOY! Is this movie EPIC; in fact, 'Dune 21' is more reminiscent of Ridley Scott than even Villeneuve's own 'Blade Runner: 2049' was, ironically. Yet think more 'Gladiator' than 'Alien' etc.
For me, that's what Villeneuve brings to the table and is what totally justifies his take on the material: His approach to 'D21's' scope is just so theatrical and grand!
I really think this is the next 'LOTR' (for Gen-Y) - A populist movie series that will eventually sweep the Oscars and get non-sci-fi fans into the books/novels & the larger Dune-Mythos.
It's the anti-marvel movie btw. And that's a good thing. It's doing something really different than all the pulpy comic book stuff. It is a thinking person's sci-fi approach.