TCTTS said:

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With "Fan First Premieres" happening tonight in IMAX, and a number of people here attending, it's time we get a spoiler thread going.

As always, spoiler reactions in this thread, general reactions in the original thread.

As for me, I won't be seeing it until the night of March 2 (Saturday), so I'll see you guys back here then...

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Saturday for me as well. Peace out until then…

All I do is Nguyen said:

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This was one of the best cinematic experiences I've ever had. Saw it in IMAX and was well worth the price. Also got the collectible popcorn bucket and drink cup as well.

My only disappointment was Christopher Walken's performance as the Emperor. I had reservations when I heard he was cast in the role but held out hope like I did for Ledger's joker and Pattinson's Batman. Alas I was left wanting more. Otherwise this was a 9.5/10

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Yea the Emperor was kind of a nothing role. Walken could have been anyone.

There were a few fun side characters but it really was 100% Chalamet, Zendaya, Bulter and Ferguson's movie.

Forgot to mention the soundtrack. One of Zimmer's best. Which is obviously saying something.

I would've liked to have seen Brad Dourif play the emperor. Would've been a nod to the '84 movie and he is a supremely underrated actor.

Awesome movie.

Size and scope of this thing is just staggering. Denis really is a master.

All star cast absolutely brings it and Zimmer is at the top of his game again.

Guess it will be quiet in here until the weekend. A couple of more thoughts now that I've had a full day thinking about it.

-Greig Fraser is is on an unbelievable run as a cinematographer. His last four films have been Dune: Part Two, The Creator (meh movie but looked incredible), The Batman, and Dune. Some amazing shots in this movie.

-Start thinking about favorite scenes, I think Paul riding the sandworm, his speech as he declares himself Lisan al Gaib, Feyd in the arena, the Fremen raid on the spice crawler, and obviously the final battle sequence are probably up there.

-I really liked Bardem taking on the role of very small comic relief moments that had kind of been Duncan Idaho/Mamoa's role in Part 1.

-The score for this is so good. Been listening to it all day. I think we are very lucky that Hans Zimmer went with DV to do the Dunes, creating something so unique and different from the style that had maybe grown a little stale under Nolan, and cementing himself as one of the greatest of all time. Simultaneously clearing the path for Ludwig to work with Nolan, which gave me one of my favorite scores of the last several years in Oppenheimer.

As far as book stuff goes (Messiah Spoilers Below):

I liked the change of making Chani very reluctant to the whole prophecy idea. Added tension and gave her character some agency. And her clearly not being content to just be his side piece makes things very interesting for the hopeful end of the trilogy. In theory she needs to be with Paul because her giving birth is so huge for the storyline, but if they aren't interested in doing Children of Dune... does it matter? Very interested to see where they go form here.

Good move to have Alia speak as a fetus rather than trying to put a kid in the role. Excited to see what ATJ can do in that part.

That's really all I have as far as major differences go. I hope this thing makes a boatload of money and DV can feel comfortable taking his time and bringing us a great Messiah adaptation.

Loved the movie, thought Chalamet killed it, but felt like the final battle could've been way longer, and felt like the movie needed to breathe a bit more at times.

I heard there was a major change from the book near the end, what was it?

Also, curious about the Lynch version, is it worth watching?

Brian Earl Spilner said:

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Loved the movie, thought Chalamet killed it, but felt like the final battle could've been way longer, and felt like the movie needed to breathe a bit more at times.

I heard there was a major change from the book near the end, what was it?

Also, curious about the Lynch version, is it worth watching?

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The Lynch version is very 80s sci fi and very David Lynch.

I'm struggling to think of a remake that is such a stark difference between the two versions.

Kinda forget about this spoilers thread.

As posted above I agree the Emperor was kind of nothing role; I thought Walken was ok but there wasn't enough to showcase him.

My main quip in the casting is Pugh. I think she's by far the weakest of the secondary characters. Again mostly a small part in this film but imo she was not super convincing as the daughter of one of the most powerful men in the universe.

Agreed on both counts, I think they could've done much better on those two characters.

For instance, as the Emperor they could've gone with Christoph Waltz, Mads Mikkelsen, or someone along those lines.

For Pugh's role, Saoirse Ronan comes to mind.

I just wanted something a bit more regal -- sophisticated, elite, aloof, whatever the appropriate word. I just didn't get that from her at all. Again minor for this movie but a bit of concern with the likely expanded role in the next.

Your question reminded me of another thing.

I felt both movies never really did a great job of explaining why exactly the spice was so valuable in the universe. Specifically, what do people high on spice experience/feel?

I know there a couple vague lines, but I thought we needed a scene showing us how the spice was affecting Paul.

I also felt the flip for both of them was the Water of Life, but I'm not sure if it was the only cause, or simply allowing their true intentions to come forth and they were holding back before. I suspect the latter.

Maybe that question is the exact question they intended.

Quote:

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I also felt the flip for both of them was the Water of Life, but I'm not sure if it the only cause, or simply allowing their true intentions to come forth and they were holding back before. Maybe that question is the exact question they intended.

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Yeah...i called the Water of Life, worm juice.

I left thinking, so are they bad now? Or just focused on what needs to be done?

Beat me to it! I can see why you'd dislike the change though.

I do wish they showed more of both of these in the movie.

AgGrad99 said:

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The way I see it, there is actually a religion, with a prophecy, which Paul is fulfilling. However, there are some who are using it to manipulate others. Is this the case, or is it all fake, for the purposes of controlling the Fremen?

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The Bene Gesserit hae been panning for the Kwisatz Haderach for a long time, and in the planning they have planted prophecies in many societies so that they will adopt the KH and fall in line with their plans. The Lisan al Gaib is a generic prophecy planted in all societies that would align with the KH coming to fruition. Was not unique to the Fremen, but across the Imperium (each society having their own unique prophecy that fits their culture but looks exactly the same so the real KH would match the prophecy). A play on control, and a play that made the Bene G holy allies and have a safe position within their society. But in end very much fake, because the BG believed in only one true KH.

Brian Earl Spilner said:

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I felt both movies never really did a great job of explaining why exactly the spice was so valuable in the universe. Specifically, what do people high on spice experience/feel?

I know there a couple vague lines, but I thought we needed a scene showing us how the spice was affecting Paul.

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The Spice (Melange) was a hallucinogenic type of drug that had several benefits/impacts. It impacted people by creating enhanced senses, improved mental abilities, and in some cases allowed people to see the past and future. It was important to the Imperium because a group known as the Space Guild basically had members that were fully consumed (lived in vats of Spice) and became these extraordinary creatures (used to be humans). The spice allowed them to see and create path through space at extraordinary speeds and prevented running into other planets etc. Thank of them as air traffic controls for space, and with out them interstellar space travel would not be possible. That is what made it such a hot commodity. It is also known as an anti aging drug as well which lead to its demand/popularity.

As I mentioned before the spice could also result in prescience which gives the person the ability to see past/present/future. This was how the Space Navigators used it for space travel. The REverend
Mother has some limited prescience ability, but Paul had strong abilities (exponentially enhanced after the water of life was drank). But he started having visions during his first interaction with Spice when first on Arrakis (when the worm attacked the excavator during the first movie and Paul was on the sand trying to rescue the crew). The visions he was having from the very beginning was an artifact of the spice).

On the topic of religion, I do think it is real but it's not like most of view religion today, at least not in the West. There isn't a singular path as we would typically believe but many potential paths and messiahs.The Bene Gesserit are also not all knowing or all present like or what we think of as "God."

I just re-read the chapter where Jessica and Paul drink the water of life... it really is amazing and I'd post it all here if I could. But that scene is an entire chapter in the book, and Herbert describes in exacting detail how they feel, how they become one with the knowledge of all past Reverend Mothers, how Jessica down to the molecular level understands and even changes the liquid as it courses through her body to react with hydrogen and make it safe. They do not become all-knowing, but they do immediately gain all knowledge from the prior reverends.

I don't think it's that they become evil; it's that their perspective is totally changed. With the benefit and burden of all of the additional knowledge, they become more focused on the task before them, and view much of the other ongoing things as distractions or obstacles in pursuit of what they are now set out to achieve.

StinkyPinky said:

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RED AG 98 said:

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On the topic of religion, I do think it is real but it's not like most of view religion today, at least not in the West. There isn't a singular path as we would typically believe but many potential paths and messiahs.The Bene Gesserit are also not all knowing or all present like or what we think of as "God."

I just re-read the chapter where Jessica and Paul drink the water of life... it really is amazing and I'd post it all here if I could. But that scene is an entire chapter in the book, and Herbert describes in exacting detail how they feel, how they become one with the knowledge of all past Reverend Mothers, how Jessica down to the molecular level understands and even changes the liquid as it courses through her body to react with hydrogen and make it safe. They do not become all-knowing, but they do immediately gain all knowledge from the prior reverends.

I don't think it's that they become evil; it's that their perspective is totally changed. With the benefit and burden of all of the additional knowledge, they become more focused on the task before them, and view much of the other ongoing things as distractions or obstacles in pursuit of what they are now set out to achieve.

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Yes, if anyone enjoyed the movie HIGHLY recommend reading the book because there is much depth there that takes the experience to another level.

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And this is just one instance. In reality there are bits of information about the spice, religion and the other questions here that are shared or revealed across thousands of pages. That's why the movie has always been such a challenge to do well. And why all of us are struggling to give succinct answers. And why I think a multi-season serial would be absolutely amazing.