There’s a clear and definite characteristic of both Dune films and it’s not something, at least in my experience, that the reviews tend to notice or mention. That characteristic relates to the issue of characters and their relatability. While both films come with many different individuals who have widely different personalities and goals, all of them have in common the fact that I don’t really care what happens to them.
I don’t want any righteous retribution against Baron Harkonnen, just as I don’t care if Paul Atreids becomes the emperor. I’m not invested in whether or not Chani ends up with Paul or if the Sardukars protect the Emperor or die trying to do that. I also couldn’t care less whatever Stilgar or Gurney Halleck want or aim for.
Instead, like the first Dune film, we’re left with an audio-visual spectacle that dazzles the senses, potentially tickets the mind, but does next to nothing to the way we feel about it. The second film, furthermore, even follows the Hollywood blockbuster formula. As we follow Paul in his newly instated guerilla war against Harkonens, we get the well-known 1-2-3 punch. First step is dialogue, followed by combat, followed by something mysterious and grand, like a spice trip, impressive outwordly location, or a fever dream.
All of these - including dialogues - look great, but feel void. Through this shuffle of elements, the film streams on through its plot and races to its completion. The only moment it breaks its stride is the short excursion to the Harkonne world, where again, we get the same 1-2-3 formula, but this time in black and white.
A clear pattern is emerging from Denis Villenu in his last three films - that includes the two Dune movies, but also the Blade Runner 2049 that came before them. These films feel great visually as you watch them and there is an undeniable aesthetic power to them. But, beyond the nice shots there is a plethora of cardboard cutouts representing characters and that, sadly, undermines the entire experience in a subtle but unmistakable manner.
