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Dune (the movie)

57 replies

Kanaloa · 25/10/2021 05:04

Considering possible cinema choices for this weekend and wondering if anyone has seen the new Dune movie yet?

Is it one of those that it’s a bit pointless seeing if you haven’t read the books? Or can it be enjoyed as a stand alone film? Also, is it generally any good, would anyone recommend it?

OP posts:

MattDamon · 25/10/2021 06:31

Even though I'm a big fan of the director, I was expecting it to be a slog, due to the source material and the running length. It was watchable though and they did a good job of world building/explaining everything.

I'll probably watch part 2 when it comes out, but it's definitely not going to be a franchise like LOTR, where people watch the whole thing every couple of years. It just didn't have that appeal.

InternetAnonymityCanHelp · 25/10/2021 06:42

I read the plot up on Wikipedia before I went, and was glad that I’d done that

My family (DH and 2DS) were desperate to see it.

I enjoyed it enough - good at the cinema on the big screen- but it’s really long…

TheShadoutCrepes · 25/10/2021 06:47

We loved it. We are however massive Dune fans so I can’t answer honestly if you don’t know the source material if you would understand every single nuance that occurs in each scene. I’m pretty sure the director has done a great job with the major points of the story.
It’s a giant visual spectacular if nothing else with some fantastic actors. Javier Bardem is only in a couple of scenes but OMG he is superb.
The Hans Zimmer score is also totally epic.

We will be watching it again this week.

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Kanaloa · 25/10/2021 06:49

Thank you for replying!

Yes I saw that it’s something like 2 hours and 40 minutes which seemed crazy long for a film. Still a bit torn! It does sound like you might need a bit of an understanding of the plot/world to fully enjoy it.

Doesn’t seem like exactly ringing endorsements though!

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Dilbertian · 25/10/2021 07:01

Is the Weirding Way accurately represented in the remake? The original film replaced the entire concept of self-sufficiency with reliance on the daft 'voice-gun', which spoiled it totally for me.

Farwest · 25/10/2021 07:14

I thought it was truly brilliant film-making. It is slow and thoughtful, and the time could have been cut, but it has a deep sense of character and the world-building was phenomenal. Lush, beautiful, and absorbing even when the world is spartan.

I'm not a fan of Dune and have never read the books. There is no way you could get 'lost' about plot, I don't think!

mizu · 25/10/2021 08:25

We watched it last night. I loved it and it didn't feel long too long. Beautiful to watch. I'm thinking about watching it again.

Haven't read the book and vaguely remember watching a film when I was late teens I think.

I love sci-fi though and this was a very good sci-if film.

RandomDent · 25/10/2021 08:28

I really enjoyed it. I’ve not read the books. Of the plot, before I went I knew people wanted to harvest Spice, and that’s about it. I understood it all. The music is fantastic. Plus Oscar Isaac is in it, which helps.

InternetAnonymityCanHelp · 25/10/2021 08:41

I know my post wasn’t a ringing endorsement! But I would still recommend seeing it - at the cinema rather than small screen.
It’s a very good film - just long - maybe it needs to be to build the story. I would read the summarised plot beforehand - that did help me understand what the storyline was.

NellieBertram · 25/10/2021 08:46

I hadn’t read the book and didn’t know anything about the characters/plot beforehand and absolutely loved the film!
I thought the 2.5 hours whipped by.

I would actually say don’t read anything about it beforehand and just enjoy it for what it is.

NellieBertram · 25/10/2021 08:49

I didn’t find the plot complex either and I’m someone who usually struggles with complicated detective movies/tv
There’s sort of political intrigue type stuff, think Game of Thrones meets Star Wars.

TheShadoutCrepes · 25/10/2021 09:39

@Dilbertian

Is the Weirding Way accurately represented in the remake? The original film replaced the entire concept of self-sufficiency with reliance on the daft 'voice-gun', which spoiled it totally for me.

Yes, I’m this film they have not conflated ‘voice’ with the weirding way. Voice is used several times and is done very well. There is one scene where Jessica uses the weirding way, but if you didn’t know what it is you would have know that’s what it was. It’s over very quickly, naturally. There are no stupid weirding modules that God.

TheShadoutCrepes · 25/10/2021 09:40

Thank god

Dilbertian · 25/10/2021 11:33

In that case, Shadout, I may go and see it.

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Kanaloa · 25/10/2021 19:45

Think we will go and see it after all! If nothing else there’s not much competition at the moment. Will just have to make sure I don’t get a large drink 😂

Hopefully I will know what spice and the weirding way is by the time two and a half hours is up! Honestly I still don’t fully understand why lord of the rings had so much walking in it so I am a bit of a hopeless case! I mean we see the dumbledore fella in the beginning in a cart so they do have other modes of transportation - why walk for the whole film!

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Echinops · 25/10/2021 20:00

We went as a family, one who loved the book and the original film, one who thinks they watched the original film and didn't like it, and one who knew nothing, and we all really enjoyed it. Knowledgeable one did a lot of explain/enthuse on the walk home 🤣

DuneFan · 25/10/2021 20:06

I'm a fan, obviously, and I enjoyed the film. Well paced and very watchable, and very in tune with the pictures I already had in my head.

They have simplified some of the more complex elements of the plot without losing the overall feel of the book.

Sparklfairy · 25/10/2021 20:10

How funny, I've been considering going to see this. I haven't read the books etc. I just really really loved the computer game Dune 2000. It was an epic strategy game involving mining and hoarding spice and then attacking the other teams

lazylinguist · 25/10/2021 20:25

Planning to watch it at the weekend. We are all big fantasy/sci-fi fans, so it looks right up our street. I'm wondering whether to read the books now though, as I never have for some reason.

PhlegmDelacour · 26/10/2021 01:49

I'm going against the grain here as I really disliked it. I thought the score was too loud and overly dramatic in non dramatic moments, I thought some of the dialogue was very unclearly spoken / hard to understand and I thought too much time was invested in cinematography and effects and not enough in actual plot or character building.
Not a fan of most of the acting either.

Plot was easily to follow though.
Was looking forward to it and very let down.

Doomscrolling · 26/10/2021 06:18

We went yesterday and all enjoyed it - very much looking forward to the next film!

Unlike Phlegm we particularly liked Hans Zimmer’s score, which very much contributed to the sense of a story of epic proportions.

It was long, sure, but didn’t feel it; unlike quite a lot of overblown films lately.

beautifulview · 26/10/2021 06:23

I haven’t read any other books or seen any movies. I know very little about Dune. I was a bit hesitant at the length. I am also a massive LOTR fan so I do like a good epic franchise and I am very very critical of movies. I only go to see a movie rarely as I will not pay to watch crap. My DH wanted to go so we went. It was absolutely brilliant. Loved it. Might go again it was that good and that’s a rarity for me. The only movie I’ve ever seen twice at the cinema is the Star Wars where original Han Solo dies. I thought Dune was well acted, well filmed, really tense and thrilling. Really really good and a fab way to spend an afternoon. Movie making at its finest.

randomrandomium · 26/10/2021 07:09

I knew nothing about Dune other than seeing the trailer and knowing it was a really long book (!) The film was absolutely amazing - fantastic cast, every shot was visually beautiful and the costumes and music were stunning. I didn't realise until it started that it was the first part of the story and now I am desperate for the next film to see how the story progresses. Like a PP I am going to go back and see it again which I never normally do - It's definitely a big screen movie experience.

Aspergirl77 · 26/10/2021 08:01

We saw it yesterday, 1 Dune ‘expert’ 3 Dune ‘dunces’! We all enjoyed it (10 year old DS was a bit fidgety during the early ‘scene setting’ but the once the drama ramped up all was good!). Amazing cinematography and special effects with great acting. At the end 13 year old DS said straight away ‘when can I see the next one?’ echoing our own thoughts! My only mildly negative comment would be that the score was very, very loud and imposing (to mirror the epic landscapes I guess) so be aware you will get your ears bombarded!!

mizu · 26/10/2021 08:32

beautifulview - I couldn't bear to watch Han Solo die again so never went to see that film again but I am very tempted to watch Dune again.

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