Frank Herbert's Children of Dune (2003)

Most of the principal players return for this continuation of the Dune saga, although not all characters are played by the same actor/actress. We get book 2 (Dune Messiah) and book 3 (Children of Dune) merged because it makes sense to do so. Unfortunately, that means it has a lot of story to cover in a short time.

It begins 12 years after the events of the previous miniseries. The political situation is ongoing, and although changed is no less problematic. The religious beliefs that surround Muad'Dib are beginning to take its toll on the reluctant Messianic figure. The "abomination" has grown up and behaves like a Bene Gesserit bitch should, with problems of her own that have little to do with affairs of state. History is written on the sands of Arrakis, but one thing is ever present, "…that every revolution carries within it the seeds of its own destruction."

Things that work: the pacing is good most of the time; Leto II is likeable, and his decision making seems organic and considered; the score, this time by Brian Tyler, is even better than the last one; the relationship between the twins is believable; and the worm design is one of the best I've seen.

Things that don't work: again, the lack of a voice-over narration is a huge handicap for the story; the painted canvas backdrops of the previous series have been replaced with bad CGI; the love triangle is underplayed; Alice Krige and Susan Sarandon add star power but they're useless, saying all the right words but with little of the gravitas or understanding needed behind them; the Tleilaxu aren't as mysterious as they should've been; and that damned dwarf!

Don't expect to make sense of everything unless you've seen the first series. Fans of the book will get the most from it, plus they will know the magnificence that follows after the credits roll.

3 episodes, approx 82 minutes each.

2½ sins of the mother out of 5

Frank Herbert's Dune (2000)

There is a substance, a spice, found in only one place in the known universe, on Dune. Arrakis. Desert planet. The spice is the most important substance known to man. It prolongs life and enables interstellar travel. Without it, interplanetary trade would cease and empires would fall. This makes people nervous. Nervous people do desperate things. The Padishah Emperor controls Dune. He's more nervous than most. Those he favours are permitted to mine the spice. Those that oppose him are quickly silenced and left to die. There are a number of political houses that the Emperor can use to keep the spice flowing. Each house has its own agenda. Each house has its own problems. Each house hates the other. There's a prophecy that tells of a time when a man will come - a saviour. That time is now.

Dune is so full of plot that I had to skip ninety percent of it just to type that. I should've used bullet points. It's about politics, religion, love, death, legacies, oppression, socialism, revolution, truth hidden and truth revealed, and so much more. I hate politics, but I love Dune. It makes a dull subject exciting.

In reality, the complexity in the Dune book makes it unsuitable for a film medium, but they try. It lacks the voice-over that the previous filmed version had. Despite what you may think of that other version, Lynch knew that a voice-over was essential; if you've read the novel, you'll understand why.

The cinematography is by the renowned Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now; The Last Emperor) but what he's chosen to do with the limited budget will irk some folks. You may laugh at the painted backdrops of the set-bound production, but if you do then you're not seeing the bigger picture.

Visually, each planet has its own unique style, so we can tell instantly where we are without the need for repetitive establishing shots. The costumes follow the same pattern, and the people chosen to wear them are (mostly) well-suited to their book counterpart. A longer running time means it can be more faithful to the original text. It invents a subplot for Princess Irulan that wasn't in the book, but it's woven around the main themes well so it never feels like an intrusion.

3 episodes, approx 98 minutes each.

3½ signs of worm out of 5