April 6, 2024

After an 11th hour change in plans, I decided to go see Dune 2 last night. I haven't seen the first film, but know the general outlines of the story, so I was able to follow along without any major problems. The film is visually stunning, and I also really liked its slower pace -- the fact that it took its time letting things unfold rather than trying to feed the adrenaline junkies in the movie-going public. But I otherwise can't say that I was wowed by it. In terms of its script and acting, Dune 2 felt like Avatar made by the Game of Thrones production team with a less hamfisted Great White Father racial overlay. Having only read part of the first of the novels when I was a teen, I'm curious how much of the latter comes from Herbert's trilogy. (For a comparison, without a radical rewrite, Lord of the Rings is marred by Tolkien's racism and arch-conservative politics.) In any event, Dune 2 is good escapism, and for $10 at the Manor with a can of Guinness for company, it was a fun way to close out my Friday.