If you thought the '84 version was trash, get a load of this...

jkenda

Well, I really can't say much that hasn't already been said about why this movie is a failure.  The acting is poor, the special effects are laughable (who didn't chuckle to themselves when Paul and Jessica ran in place while being chased by Duncan's Ornithopter?), and the story is a thousand times more confusing than any previous version.

I watched this movie in the mindset of someone who had never been exposed to Dune before and found that I would be thoroughly confused had I no previous experience.  The Bene Geserrit use of the voice is never adequately explained.  The fact that the Emperor is involved with the Harkonnens is barely hinted at (in fact, we get counter-information as the Emperor talks about how great a man Leto is).  Yueh isn't even shown in the film (as far as I saw) until he betrays the Duke.  For some reason Paul and his mother can do some super-speed blur thing that makes them awesome at fighting. The whole idea of water conservation is lost, as the sietches are open door (and in some cases, just out in the open)....

I could probably go on for hours about why this is a lousy, confusing movie, but I think I've made my point.

I waited for a year for this movie, and what a disappointment it was.

score 1/10

jkenda 5 December 2000

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw0531734/