I encountered Frank Herbert’s *Dune* in high school, and my memory of it now is hazy—just that it was impressive and somewhat unsettling. I probably missed much of the underlying meaning at that age. Since I hadn’t seen any film adaptations, I decided to watch both David Lynch's 1984 version and Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 take back-to-back. I’ll be discussing both here. This might not be a popular viewpoint: Lynch's film is **brilliant**, while the Villeneuve *Dune* is absolute **shit**. Here's my reasoning: First, it’s undeniable that Villeneuve’s *Dune* looks polished. One would expect that after nearly 40 years since Lynch made his version. Are the characters in David Lynch's film eccentric and over-the-top? Absolutely! That’s part of what makes it so much better. It’s science fiction, for goodness sake! You willingly accept unbelievable superpowers in Marvel movies? All of Lynch's characters feel grounded and believable within this surreal fantasy world. By the time I reached the end of Lynch’s *Dune*, I felt empathy for almost every character on screen. Even the antagonists elicited an emotional response from me. Paul Atreides’ development felt genuine and compelling. Villeneuve’s characters, however? It was like a neighbor asking, "Hey, could you come watch my kid's junior high play?" “Sure, Denis, let me grab a bottle of tequila first.” The characters in Villeneuve's film were so lifeless that they failed to evoke any emotional connection. While I occasionally sit through mediocre movies, it’s been a long time since I saw one as lacking in character development as the 2021 *Dune*. If I had been an actor on that set, I would have been silently screaming. How can a director even allow this to happen? And what about originality? It's been 46 years since George Lucas started Industrial Light & Magic, and Denis couldn’t come up with one original space vehicle? (Someone might argue the hummingbird copter is new, but it doesn't feel inventive considering we only recently understood how hummingbird wings function.) But the biggest problem is the screenplay. David Lynch gave us a complete story. Sadly, he didn't have final cut and later disowned the film after critics tore it apart. Despite being a true artist and genius, the studio removed 45 minutes from the movie. Even damaged by studio interference, even after all these years, Lynch’s film has a clear vision and conveys the timeless message that Frank Herbert intended. I would love to see the original version! Villeneuve, on the other hand, simply stopped in the middle of the book. It's now apparent that Denis isn't concerned with telling the story. He's focused solely on franchise potential, which is disappointing. Because of the flawed screenplay, this 2021 adaptation fails to deliver the intended socio-political commentary. I want my 155 minutes back. I generally avoid sequels, especially when dealing with Hollywood movies that lack creativity and character development. You can keep your lackluster franchise and shove it into a science fiction black hole. To be fair, I enjoyed *Blade Runner 2049*, but this experience has been so disheartening that I might never watch another Villeneuve film again. Do yourself a favor and see David Lynch's version of *Dune*.

Source on TMDB