No, I did not enjoy Dune

I have a great-nephew who is an acclaimed filmmaker. I like his film reviews — I like reading them because he offers really nuanced insights, and I'm glad he shares them.

So, this was his review of Dune (2021) reproduced here with his permission:

Where do I even begin. Dune directed by Dennis Villeneuve, a legend who directed Sicario, Enemy and the Sci fi love letter Arrival, adapts Frank Herbert's odyssey upon the sand dunes of Arakkis.

Starring Timothee Chalamat as Paul a son to the Duke of Atreidis (Oscar Isaac) who sees a future that may destroy his family as a malevolent government seek to cultivate their planets most precious resources.

Dune has the same effect as when the original Star Wars hit the cinema or when Lord of the Rings first graced our screens. It takes you on a world with such respectful world building; philosophical questions or even relevant topics of the world today. These are all things that make the Sci fi genre and Herbert's original novel that striking.

However unlike most Sci fi films today Dune knows the audience expects more and it gives all the grand spectacle you need. Brilliant performances, striking imagery and sound design to resonate your soul. Hans Zimmer is another main reason why this film was just awe inspiring. His score is orgasmic and powerful, defining what Villeneuve envisioned.

There's so much more I can say about this film but I urge you to ensure you watch this on the biggest screen possible. Support your local theaters and make sure films like this survive. Dune is a masterpiece.

9.5/10

I texted him saying: " I’m watching Dune later tonight based on your enthusiasm. I’ve read all the books many times over, so I’m likely to be judgmental. I hope you’re right and I’m wrong."

So, after watching Dune, I texted my great-nephew again:

I'm irritated at Dune 2021.

1. Firstly, gender swapping Liet Kynes. In a universe that is literally defined by strong women characters (Jessica, Chani, Aliya), you turn the Emperor's planetary ecologist into a female. Shaddam IV would never have turned over that role to a woman because he's a patriarch in a world that sees women as property to be traded in marriages of convenience.
2. Second, the inappropriate injection of levity. The character of Duncan Idaho would never treat the Duke's heir as a kid. They're in the middle of a deadly serious war, and Paul Atreides is already a formidable fighter.
3. Third, Baron Harkonnen is probably the most gruesome villain ever in science fiction. Here, he is a caricature of every modern bad guy. Harkonnen has a penchant for taking homoerotic pleasure from watching pretty boys die in his arms as he pulls out their heart plugs. In this new woke universe, portraying any homoeroticism in anything other than perfect couples would be unacceptable.
4. Fourth, Feyd Rautha (the Baron's nephew played by Sting in the Lynch version), is crucial to the early development of the story. He's left out. Why? Could it be because of the need to play down Harkonnen's homoeroticism for Feyd?
5. Fifth, Paul's respect and desire to make his father proud of him are written off. The critical scene with the Reverend Mother after her pain box test (and don't get me started around how pathetic that was leaving out the line that says "no woman child has withstood that much"), his insistence on knowing what was meant by "for the father, nothing" is cut out too.

I really wanted to like it, especially after your review. And I generally concur with your reviews. This was a crushing disappointment because I am so versed in this universe — the books, the Lynch movie, many fanedits (some terrible, some great), the 2000 TV mini series with William Hurt et al — squandered opportunity.

So those were my immediate thoughts on Dune (2021). Let me add a few more.

I can see how people who have no prior exposure to the rich tapestry of Frank Herbert's universe could appreciate this version. And make no mistake, it is beautifully shot and stars a highly competent cast who also offer a fair sprinkling of eye candy.

And yes, Hans Zimmer's score is well-suited to the film taken as a standalone. But memorable? Ay, there's the rub…

The score for David Lynch's Dune (1984) was composed by Toto. You might remember them as a rock band from the late 70s. Yes, them. There are 27 tracks on the album, each perfectly memorable because each track brings to mind the corresponding scene in the movie with exquisite detail.

I'd hope that Zimmer's score after watching Villeneuve's Dune repeatedly would have the same effect, but I don't think so. Zimmer was once known for iconic melodies , think "Lion King", "As Good as It Gets", "Madagascar"); but his recent work has been mainly dark dramatic drums, (Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, Man of Steel).

It's not the first time I've experienced this. I feel the same when I compare Zimmer's work on Man of Steel and John Williams's score for Superman (1978) — I listen to both in my car on long distance drives. I can sum it up with what I posted on Facebook after watching Lincoln (2012): "Hans Zimmer: love your work, but John Williams is a god".