Children of Dune

Like films, books often spawn sequels. Thus was the case for Frank Herbert’s Dune. The recent Sci-Fi presentation of ‘Children of Dune’ is actually based on the second and third books in Herbert’s long Dune series, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. The story picks up twelve years after Paul ‘Muad'Dib’ Atreides (Alec Newman) defeated the Emperor and took control of his inter galactic empire. Paul has transcended the roles of freedom fighter and ruler into the dangerous figure of a god. The religious viewpoint of the native Freemen has been pushed out to the corners of the empire through crusades and jihad. The name of Muad’Dib once a blessing is now seen by many as a curse. Paul is aware of this and fights against this aspect of his destiny. He has taken on the practice of walking around his capital city in mufti to better understand the feelings of his subjects. Paul is not only trapped by his place in history but by the women that surround him. His younger sister Alia (Daniela Amavia) has become the warrior princess and high priestess to the new religion. She craves the devotion of the followers and looks down on all around her except her brother Paul. Paul’s legal wife Princess Irulan (Julie Cox) may be married to the emperor but is little more than a figure head. She is still influenced by the dreaded Bene Geserite religious order. Then there is Paul’s concubine Chani (Barbora Kodetová) who fights with Iruan to bare an heir to Paul’s throne. Later she does bare twins who like Alia are preborn, born possessing all the knowledge of their ancestors. At the heart of this complex, multi thread tale is what happens after the revolution is over, how success often plants the seeds of the self destruction. Paul learns what many revolutionary leaders fail to, when you replace a corrupt government you become the government and are subject to the same corrupting influences. Important to the times we now live in the relationship of religion and politics are examined. When the ruler becomes a god the demands upon him are more than any man can bare. The people that brought Paul to power, the Freemen, now yearn for the simpler days in the desert, old ways have been abandoned in favor of the new religion. With all these pressures on the new royal family success is not as desirable as it seemed as first. This story is rich with intrigue and plots within plots. While not a story to view causally it is worth the attention required to truly get all there is out of it. One caveat here is the story does lose focus every so often. It is difficult to balance the many sub plots and give justice to each one. It is also a consolidation of two books and the break between the two could have been a bit smoother.

For the most part the cast that worked so well in the first Dune has been assembled again for Children of Dune. Newman as Paul has grown some as an actor; he fits the role balancing the comfort of a character he knows well while growing into the angst and despair required for the new story. Julie Cox has a naturally much greater role here than in the original. Her political machinations have become more overt now. She plays her character as a woman used to whatever she desired now denied the one thing that is personally and politically needed, baring Paul’s heir. Her presentation of Irulan is extremely close to the book, beautiful, intelligent and not beyond scheming. Kodetová returns as Chani, the concubine and emotional wife of Paul. Like many of those born to the ways of the desert she yearns for the old ways yet Kodetová plays her in such a way the audience can see how her present circumstances traps her. Among the new cast members are Alice Krige as the Lady Jessica. Taking this role over must have been difficult since the previous actress Saskia Reeves really nailed the role. Krige carries on as an older Jessica, seasoned by all that has occurred, striving to survive and ensure the success of her family. There is also the addition of Irulan’s older sister Wensicia played to the hilt by Susan Sarandon. Sarandon is simply put perfect for this role. She plays each faction against the other for her own means. Sarandon has always delivered above and beyond the call and this portrayal is no different. The casting of this film is well done even to the smallest role. Each actor committed to presenting the best performance possible.

Greg Yaitanes took on his most ambitious project of his career with Children of Dune. Previously he focused on such television faire as CSI Miami and The Invisible Man. The task he faced was to weave a tapestry, complex and multi layered in a manner that holds the attention of the audience during a long presentation yet provide enough time to each of the many sub plots important to the tale. Pacing is vital in a case like this. There is enough action and special effects to make sure the audience’s desire for these aspects of film today are met. As previously noted there was a slight bit of discontinuity between the two major segments of the film but nothing that truly detracts from the flow of the movie as a whole. The scenes are well crafted with attention paid to the smallest details. The incorporation of the audio was some of the best around, especially for a television epic such as this. He contrasts the opulence of the palace with the grim of the streets in a way that the polarization on this society is visual, underscoring the point nicely.

The two disc set is mastered to near calibration standards. The anamorphic 1.77:1 video presents the smallest details in a crisp, clear fashion. No defects or compression artifacts could be found at all. The Dolby 5.1 audio was spectacular. Rather than just using the rear speakers and sub woofer for effects and ambience even the musical score employs these speakers. The sound enfolds your room drawing you into the drama. There were the now usual set of extras, a making of featurette and how the incredibly well done special effects where achieved. Those of you that saw the presentation on the Sci-Fi channel will be pleasantly surprise at how the mastering of this disc was done. This is a required addition to the first Dune, not only tying up what occurred in the first film but extending the characters and story beyond what they achieved there. Even those that have not seen the first Dune will be able to enjoy the excellent production values and story presented here. This is a disc to own and enjoy through many viewings.

Posted 5/30/03