Children of Dune (2003) User Reviews (90)

Better acting that first miniseries, but such a dense story!

[Denver53 · 8/10 · 20 March 2003]

A blizzard and 32 inches of snow is the perfect setting to watch a mini-series that has been taped for later viewing. As a long-time Dune book series fan and an owner of the DVD of the Lynch movie and the first Sc-Fi miniseries, I eagerly awaited Children of Dune.

The good: Excellent musical score (hopefully available on amazon.com); better acting in general, especially Alice Krige as Lady Jessica and the young actor who played Leto, son of Paul; better special effects (incredible sandworms!); and just the fact that Sci-Fi took time and money to prodice this miniseries (though I will never forgive the cancellation of Farscape).

The bad: Susan Sarandon, for an alleged fan of the Dune series, was just terrible, all hammy and goofy like some character out of a 60s sitcom; the actress who played Alia, Paul Atreides sister, was OK but seemed to lack the fire that I always envisioned as Paul's sister went mad; and the story, which was a mixture of the second and third books in the series, was so incredibly dense -- even for a Dune veteran like me -- that I wondered if anyone else could watch the mini-series and even figure out what was going on.

Generally speaking, this was a better production than the first miniseries, but the story was harder to tell. I hope that Sci-Fi carries on and does a third mini-series. I rated Children of Dune an 8.

A Dune for everyone

[tributarystu · 7/10 · 21 January 2005]

After reading the first two of Frank Herbert's Dune books I had to wonder whether the story of the water forsaken planet still had some potential. Consequently, although I bought Children of Dune, I didn't get to read it to the end. And all the time I was thinking: why didn't anyone do a really cool movie about Dune, as it deserves? Obviously, the moment I laid eyes on "Children of Dune" (the mini-series this time) I felt a terrible urge to acquire it, despite being tempted by more reputed films. In the end, I didn't have any regrets.

That is because the film is not only easy to follow, as long as you've either read the first book (and a bit of the second) or seen the first part of the mini-series (which I haven't), but it's also visually delightful, doing some justice to Frank Herbert's saga. It does not bore but it does not truly have a mesmerizing effect either. Nevertheless it does keep you pretty glued to the chair/sofa for as long as it takes to see the outcome. Unfortunately "Children of Dune" goes along the path I assumed the books would: it simply loses its charm as it becomes a bit too foreseeable. This doesn't necessarily mean it's not worth its hours, but it means it's definitely not as enchanting as the first part of the Dune saga - where everything was still fresh and authentic, original and innovative.

All in all, as a fan, I can't say I've been displeased by the series. It's fun to watch as it delivers certain chills and thrills along the way - just that it's not really the uniqueness of Dune that conquers you, but the fine work behind and in front of the camera.

much better than the first miniseries, but feels like its missing an episode

[rolandofgilead04 · 7/10 · 26 February 2008]

I have recently come back to the Dune series of books after an absence of more than 10 years. The first time I read them I lost interest after the second book and never bothered to continue the series. Now I've started the series again and completely in love with it. So I thought I'd revisit the SciFi Channel versions as well. Since this is a review for the CoD miniseries I wont spend too much time on Dune(2003). Watching that first series really helps to appreciate how incredible the David Lynch version is. It's sad that he didn't get final cut of the movie, because I'm sure it would have been better appreciated if he had. But in summary, let me just say that this first miniseries is awful. laughably awful at times. I mean the costumes alone were soooo unbearably bad. they looked like 1970's Doctor Who rejects. Irulan's butterfly dress says it all. And lets not even talk about the Reverend Mother's headdress. And could they have found someone to play Stilgar who was any less intimidating and charismatic?

Now, Children of Dune on the other hand is incredibly better. Thank god they brought in a new director, and someone who could design clothes that didn't make you laugh out loud. Another big improvement is Alec Newman's acting. who would have any idea from the first miniseries that this guy knew anything at all about acting. That was by far the most pleasant surprise. it goes to show how important a good director is for bringing out the talents of an actor. oh yeah, and much better casting for Stilgar, too.

now, here is my biggest problem with CoD. After deftly distilling the intricacies of Dune Messiah into an hour and a half, i was quite shocked with what they did when they actually got to the book Children of Dune. What we see is really only the second half of the book. This is an incredibly complicated and many tiered story, and to jump right in to the middle of it, with absolutely no set up or development is not only unfair to the book, but unfair to the audience. i literally thought that a middle episode was missing by accident. if you haven't read the book there is no possible way you could understand Alia's possession, Duncan's estrangement from Alia, why Duncan and Jessica were on Selusa Secondus, the significance of Seitch Jacurutu, the nature of Leto II's transformation, and the list goes on.

Children of Dune is perhaps the second most complex book of the entire series (after the original) and to chop it right in half like that not only shortchanges the plot, but severely diminishes the emotional impact of those events that are portrayed.

So I guess what I am saying is, my biggest problem with this second miniseries is that i just wanted more.

Magnificent Production

[ZMAN738 · 9/10 · 22 May 2004]

Personally I really enjoyed *Children of Dune*. First the major issue about the faithfulness to the books. To quote director Greg Yaitanes; "Try not to get hung up on such details as whether the twins are too old or too young, the eyes are too blue or not blue enough, or that the book says this and we did that. You'll end up robbing yourself of a great experience. The Dune universe is so wonderful because of how human and real its characters are. To not respect that would be the worst offense any of us could make." He's got that straight. This is an adaptation not a re-creation. The screenplay by John Harrison managed to fit in enough of Frank Herbert's vision to remain true to the spirit of the epic Dune saga.

The entire cast, Alec Newman [Paul Muad'Dib], Daniela Amavia [Alia Atreides], Julie Cox [Princess Irulan], Barbaroa Kodetova [Chani], James McAvoy [Leto II], Jessica Brooks [Ghanima], Susan Sarandon [Wensicia Corrino], Alice Krige [Reverend Mother Jessica Atreides], Edward Atterton [Duncan Idaho], Ian McNeice [Baron Harkonnen], Steven Berkoff [Stilgar], P.H. Moriarty [Gurney] and Johathan Bruun [Farad'n Corrino] gave me characters I could relate to as well as care about over the course of the miniseries. I especially enjoyed watching Alice Krige because her ability to convey depth of emotion with facial expressions is a well developed art.

The CGI effects were fantastic. Sharp & crisp. The best I've seen done on television and the use of computer generated 3-D backgrounds added so much stature to the sets. CoD was far superior to *Dune* which used mat backgrounds in terms of it's visuals. The movement of CGI objects like Thopters around CG backgrounds and the use of shadow rendering to add realism were absolutely first rate. As an example the shots of the Thopter landing at the Royal Palace in Arrakeem where the ships shadow moves across buildings then follows it down to the landing pad brought a big smile and a sigh...wow! CoD won an Emmy Award in 2003 (Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie or Special).

The costumes by Academy Award winner Theodor Pistek and his son Jan were outstanding. A visual feast for the eyes & the heart. The wedding scene at the Royal Palace was as worthy as any major motion picture costume drama and should have earned another Emmy in the costuming category.

The cinematography by Arthur Reinhart was stunning. The use of High Definition digital cameras instead of standard 35mm film and being shot in 16:9 true LBX format also made it look like a feature film rather that a TV miniseries (the DVD looks great as well). The use of lighting during camera pans over actors faces or on shots as characters moved across sets was again vary well used.

The music score by Brian Tyler was at times dark and moody, then majestic, adding to the grandeur of many of the key scenes where the score helped lift one's feelings to the level of emotion being presented by the actors as the story unfolded on the screen. The background soundtrack as the camera followed characters though the zocalo's of Arrakeem or the desert sietche's added a mystical quality where one could almost smell the food cooking or the incense like fragrance of the Spice Melange.

Overall *Children of Dune* has to rate with the best mini-series' that have ever been produced over the years and may even set a new standard for work being done for television with it's quality production. A 9 out of 10.

better than I ever dreamed

[stufff · 10/10 · 23 March 2003]

This four hour miniseries actually covers two books, the shorter sequil to <i>Dune</i>, <i>Dune Messiah</i>, and the next (longer) <i>Children of Dune</i>. I was stunned by how well it was able to capture such complex concepts as were introduced in the books in the visual medium. There were very few times I felt the film hadn't stayed true to the book, most of which were minor. I think anyone who hadn't read the books or at least seen the previous movie would be a little lost, so I recomend this as complimentary to the books; but as such it was a wonderful treat. Actors, make-up, set design were all perfect. I think I liked David Lynch's stillsuits better, these ones don't look like they'd do the job very well, but I suppose it was a trade off with seeing some of the wonderfully figured women =)

The part that would be the end of <i>Dune Messiah</i> had me nearly in tears. Wonderful job. For anyone who's read the books, a must see.

Part 1 (Dune Messiah) was fabulous.

[Li-1 · 16 March 2003]

8.5 out of 10

This review comes for the first part of the Children of Dune miniseries, which is actually the adaptation of Dune Messiah. And after viewing this hour-and-a-half rendition, I must say I'm immensely pleased and impressed. It's every bit as compelling as the Dune miniseries was, and from a technical viewpoint, is actually far superior. The production design, the special effects, the cinematography are all a distinct improvement over both the original miniseries and the David Lynch disaster.

The story picks up twelve years after the conclusion of Dune; war continues to ravage the galaxy, Paul "Muad'Dib" Atreides (Alec Newman) is now seen as something of a curse by the people, as his name is now associated with bloodshed and violence. Conspiracies grow around him, his life is threatened at every turn. At the heart of it is Princess Wensicia (Susan Sarandon), daughter of Emperor Shaddam IV and sister of Irulan (Julie Cox). Her plans include preventing a new heir on the Atreides throne, sending a ghola of Duncan Idaho (Edward Atterton) to kill Paul, and to have a giant sandworm captured to begin a new spice cycle. With so many plots, Paul's main concern still centers around Chani (Barbara Kodetova) and her accelerating pregnancy.

Children of Dune's biggest asset is its talented cast. Alec Newman, who was very good in the original, has matured the past three years, his performance as Paul Atreides is excellent. Those who had doubts about him before will have them silenced with his great performance here. Daniela Amavia makes for a spirited and appealing Alia, Edward Atterton is definitely superior to James Watson in the role of Duncan Idaho, and Julie Cox is terrific and sympathetic as the conflicted Princess Irulan. Steven Berkoff, Barbara Kodetova, Alice Krige, and P.H. Moriarty are solid in their roles, with Kodetova showing improvement over the last miniseries.

Children of Dune's compelling plot is executed with precision by director Greg Yaitanes, who does a bang-up job over his predecessor, John Harrison. As a matter of fact, though Dune Messiah's story is naturally a bit weaker than Dune's, the superb execution here makes it superior to any previous adaptations of Dune (it's at least as good as the terrific miniseries, far better than the horrible Lynch film). The cinematography distinguishes itself with darker colors, while still maintaining the vibrancy the original miniseries had. Brian Tyler's beautiful score is evocative, particularly during a wonderful montage segment of literal birth and death.

The special effects are the best I've ever seen for a made-for-TV sci-fi project. The city and planetscapes are dazzling and the desert bluescreens are convincing, wisely ridding of the painted backgrounds that marred the original. There's an absolutely magnificent, visually breathtaking sequence in which the Space Guild kidnaps a giant worm from the desert, doing so in a rather clever and believable manner. So far, that has been this miniseries' highlight. All this builds to the suspenseful finale, which is a conclusion in its own right and paves the way for the next part of the miniseries. I, for one, cannot wait.

Cleopatra meets Star Trek

[roedyg · 7/10 · 19 August 2012]

This is a very long movie, two DVDs worth. It started life as a TV miniseries with a very fat budget. The sets are lavish. The screen crawls with extras. The costumes are as diverse and bizarre as anything that would come down a Paris runway.

The main reason to see this movie is Alice Krige who plays the grandmother, Lady Jessica Atreides. You will recognise her as the Borg Queen from Star Trek. She has a magical voice and regal manner. She is absolutely riveting. She can make the silliest lines sound profound. She starts out as a rather quiet character and builds in majesty and power. She is like a super-hero Emma Peel. Even though most of this movie is rather silly, she is spectacular.

James McAvoy, as Leto, is eye candy, and conveniently rarely wears a shirt.

The costumes are an eclectic mix of Egyptian, Cecil B. de Mille Ten Commandments and Star Trek original. However, when the empress Alia Atreides paraded around court in a 1950s slut bathing suit, or wrapped in aluminum foil, my credibility choked. The bizarre Japanese-inspired hair styles of Susan Sarandon's character are a hoot, very inventive.

It has an international cast. The principals speak in crisp upper crust British accents, but then Susan Sarandon sometimes slips into her slurring American barfly Louise character from Thelma and Louise. It is jarring and makes no sense. Her accent becomes more regal as the movie progresses. She has not that big a part, but she makes a great villain.

Two actors play Farad'n Corrino, son of Princess Wensicia Corrino (Susan Sarandon). Unfortunately, they don't look even remotely alike, and the adult version has beefy look, dull mien and accent like a Florida quarterback. It is just embarrassing.

There are three generations represented, yet the actors playing them are almost the same age. The actors don't age even when 20 years supposedly pass. Some of the female actors look quite alike, and with all the costume and hairstyle changes it becomes a challenge to figure out whom you are looking at.

I exaggerate, but the plot goes roughly like this. At random intervals a random character suddenly whips out a dagger and kills another randomly chosen character. Why? Often the killer offers a rationalisation, but never once did it make any sense.

Not until the movie is well under way does anyone seem remotely heroic or even sympathetic, other than the child Farad'n Corrino who sick of being groomed for a warrior emperor. Everyone is power mad, greedy, and nuts.

The special effects are movie quality, except for one scene when Ian McNeice (Bert Large in Doc Martin) as the ghost of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen floats around the room like a cardboard cutout from a Topper episode and another when Alia Atreides dodges flying video game saw blades.

One of the most magical moments in the movie is Leto, lying on a grassy meadow. It feels surreal . That proves the movie has impressed its world on your mind.

It is a silly movie; it does not make much sense, but it is visually entertaining. You won't be bored.

One of the Best Sci-Fi Series

[dromasca · 9/10 · 5 July 2003]

I admit being a big fan of the 'Dune' books. I consider them being a masterpiece, not only of the science-fiction genre, but of the world literature as a whole. Yes, nothing less. I am a books lover, and I have read very few books reaching this level of complexity and with such a philosophical depth when reflecting what the faith of mankind will be in the future. Reflections on democracy and dictatorship, ecological balance, holy wars, genetics, love, you find them all melted at high artistic temperature.

Having revealed this, any film inspired by 'Dune' must reach a high stake for me to like it. A great director as David Lynch already tried his forces, with good (but not perfect) results. The current series, inspired by the second and third books in the series are very faithful to the original. Certainly the books are that powerful, so people who did not read them may find some details obscure, or some conflict details un-explained. Well, my only advice - go and read the books! You will not regret.

'Dune' is golden material for mini-series, but also puts some serious technical challenges. The team who realized 'Children of Dune' met them well for most of the time. Some of the effects look Disney-like, and this is the only big minus I found in this film. Otherwise, a very good cast does a wonderful job in re-creating Herbert's world of characters. The action has logic, and each of the third parts is well driven from a tension point of view.

I hope that more is coming. If they approach the fourth book, that one has even more challenges, as Frank Herbert's fantasy got even wilder, in what I think was one of the best books in the series. In any case, 'Children of Dune' is memorable, and gets a 9/10 on my personal scale.

Pretty good science fiction

[perfectbond · 7/10 · 7 July 2004]

I have never read any of Frank Herbert's novels and I didn't really like the 1984 film Dune so I am not sure that I am the most authoritative commentator for this mini-series. That said, I thought Children of Dune was fairly engaging science fiction despite the fact that I had forgotten practically everything about the first film even though I saw it only a few months prior. Especially, given that it was a television production and not a feature film, the look of the film was achieved quite spectacularly. The special effects were fairly convincing even with the limitations and the costumes seemed appropriate enough. Other than Susan Sarandon, I wasn't familiar with any of the cast. Perhaps these attractive performers will continue to build their profile. Interesting science fiction, 7/10.

The sequel is never the equal?

[tkwh · 8/10 · 16 March 2003]

Satisfying, well-written and superbly acted sequel to the Sci-Fi Channel's DUNE mini-series - which was itself vastly superior to the rampant-phallic-symbolism-held-together-by-stamp-hinges-and-cobwebs David Lynch film version. A science fiction hybrid of sword-wielding Old Testament prophets, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, Toho giant-monsters-on-the-rampage flicks and the precepts of the 1970s ecological movement, CHILDREN OF DUNE is a storytelling and visual delight. F/X maestro Ernest Farino, who won the Emmy for his sterling work on the first DUNE mini-series, will likely make a repeat stroll to the podium when next year's visual effects award is handed out. He has created worlds and civilisations and creatures that are at once alien and familiar, wildly imaginative yet rooted in reality. Barring a ticket on the next space shuttle flight, this is the closest you will ever get to other worlds: Farino's effects are genuinely that good. In a production where all of the cast and crew clearly went beyond what their paycheques required of them, Farino's contributions are particularly satisfying. All in all, a magnificent undertaking; this is what that irritating salesman guest in FAWLTY TOWERS meant when he was talking about "televisual feasts."

A good mini-series, the best of the Frank Herbert Dune adaptations

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 22 August 2013]

Children of Dune did have a couple of areas where things could have been improved, Susan Sarandon overacts with an accent that was at home in Thelma and Louise but out of place here, the mini-series does get to a slow start and can drag a little at times and there are occasional moments of cartoonish effects, stilted dialogue and incompleteness. That of the way, Children of Dune is good, of the three Frank Herbert Dune adaptations- the others being the David Lynch film and the 2000 adaptation- as an adaptation and on its own it's the best one, and that's saying a lot as the other two adaptations had moments but were lacking in too many areas. The production values in Children of Dune are just great, the costumes are eye-catching with a very interesting and never weird mix of styles and the sets are gorgeously rendered with a lot of striking colours and attention to detail. The special effects clearly look as though time was spent on them, they look well textured and designed and they look natural, there are a few cartoonish ones here and there but not many at all. The whole mini-series is also very well-photographed throughout. The music has the right moodiness and majesty, in the more moody elements it is so compellingly dark it's haunting and the majestic elements are genuinely rousing and somewhat uplifting too. Overall, an appropriate and very dynamic music score. Most of the dialogue provokes thought and is intelligently written, a few instances of awkwardness but not in a way that hugely problematic. It is also relevant to each scene and doesn't try to include too much exposition or filler. Adaptation-wise, Children of Dune does a good job with a complicated book though towards the end at times feeling incomplete. There are a few changes like the maturing of the twins but nothing that is enough to annoy anybody, and it is true in spirit to the story and Herbert's style. Children of Dune succeeds even more on its own terms(to me adaptations are always much more fairly judged on their own merits), the story here is thrilling, mostly well-structured, always maintains interest and unlike Lynch's film is easy to follow. The directions shows solidity, a sense of involvement and heart and a willingness to take charge but being sympathetic to the actor's needs. Never is there the sensation that the director didn't know what to do with Children of Dune or have little interest with it. The acting is good on the whole and greatly improved from the 2000 adaptation. Alec Newman is a very good lead and much more at ease. James McAvoy is an inspired addition and Alice Krige is regal and somewhat calculating, stealing all her scenes. Only Sarandon doesn't come off so well. All in all, a good and highly satisfactory mini-series. 7/10 Bethany Cox

So much better

[plumberguy66 · 8/10 · 17 March 2003]

The production value on this installment of the Dune series is more than I could have hoped for. Thank you for getting rid of those awful painted backgrounds. I had been contemplating how a real movie version of the Dune books would look for years. I liked the sets on the DL version but the lack of story was just too confusing for anyone that hadn't read the books and disappointing for those that did. When I heard about the SciFi channel doing the movie 3 years ago I was all jazzed up and ready to be dazzled. And while the story was more consistent with the book and the acting was good, I was rather disappointed with the sets. Now with Children of Dune I think we've seen what should have been done from the get go. The special effects are right on target as are the performances in this one. In the first installment it seemed more like a filmed stage play. This one is more like the full-on, glossy, Hollywood production these stories deserve. That said, I (and some of my friends) still feel that these movies are not going to be very comprehensible to anyone that hasn't read the books but I don't mind that much as I am a selfish and self-serving person at heart. I also have lost faith that anyone will do the Lady Jessica character justice. DL's Jessica was horrible.. beautiful, yes, but what a simpering little weakling she was. Not so in the book… Jessica was more solid, calculating and strong. The miniseries did a little better but she still seemed weak in comparison to the novel. Hopefully Alice Krige will prove to be better. Since she was barely in last night's part, we'll have to wait and see. All in all I am very pleased with what the makers have done with this part of the series. I can't wait until tonight and the next night and especially (hopefully) for ‘God Emperor of Dune' and ‘Chapterhouse'. If they don't do the whole series, I will be sorely disappointed. Bottom line: Keep up the great work!

Nothing Can Touch Lynch's Version

[agenerette · 7/10 · 7 September 2009]

and Anyone other than Jürgen Prochnow as Leto and Kyle MacLachlan as Paul/Muad'Dib... there's a sense in which this and the other Dune movies since 1984 just don't work for me.

But, in spite of that, this one was pretty good.

Alice Krige (one of my favorite actresses along with Helen Mirren and Naomi Watts) is absolutely perfect as Lady Jessica. She has that ethereal, almost UNreal mix of haunting beauty and savvy-strength: it's so incredibly unique. Her Lady Jessica is much more of a warrior-woman and a Mystery than Francesca Annis'. I like it.

I REALLY did not want to see Alia die -- especially the way she did -- though I know the story well enough from the books to know how things went with her. I know, too, when my heart-strings are being tugged hard, but, hey, it's alright.

"Monster", "Abomination": these things said of one who was essentially a child (despite all those voices in her head... how exquisitely ironic that the bene gesserit "witches" would do this to her. they would have done better to just call her the Ur-child or the Un-foreseen); a product not just of her parents' love, but also of their scheming. It's apparent, almost to the point of feeling painful, that she could have been SO much more if she'd not been imprisoned in the fact of her uniqueness. Watching that last scene of her, I found myself thinking of some of the things that the Atreides of Classical Mythology did, because of Ambition, to their children.

And, yea, I found myself thinking, too, of Helen Mirren's Morganna from the movie "Excalibur"; and of Krieg's Alma Mobley from "Ghost Story".

One of the things that the people who made "Children of Dune" did best was set up in it echoes between father-son, brother-sister, mother-daughter relationships. It's way true to some of the stuff that I took from Herbert's books. There's a strong sense that something in these families (and, perhaps, in all of us) will never die. And that something might not be entirely good.

Childre Of Dune is boring

[dosomeeffingscience · 5/10 · 21 May 2006]

There was a lot of good stuff in Children Of Dune, all the great characters and themes from the book, and a lot of talent went into making it. But all anyone *does* is wander around looking like they're plotting something. Who wants to watch that? It was more like Next Generation than the original Star Trek. Picard always wants to pursue a dialogue and find a diplomatic solution, occasionally raising his voice in an authoritative shakespearean manner. Yawn! Kirk would get in there and punch someone's lights out, or kiss them. Or both! Sex and violence, kiss 'em and kick 'em, that's what we want to see.

So, good to look at, if you're a Dune fan and just want to see the story told in moving pictures. Otherwise, zzzzzz....

Far superior to the first Dune miniseries

[ninjabert · 10/10 · 25 March 2003]

It seems that everyone involved took a long hard look at the first miniseries and really learned from their original mistakes. The grandeur of the open desert which was painfully missing from the first one is there, the sets are more realistic and functional. the special effects are in most instances completely seamless and the acting has vastly improved. Alec Newman was a passable Paul Atreides in the first one, in this sequel you get the impression that he has really understood the character and and is far more at ease playing him. Alia is stunningly gorgeous and almost exactly as I imagined her after reading the books and the two kids are convincing, although Ghanima's makeup is a bit odd at times. Stilgar and Duncan fit perfectly and Jessica is at least Saskia Reeves match. Only Susan Sarandon plays things a bit over the top, but not terribly so. Usually sequels are inferior to the original, but this is the exception to that rule. I truly hope Sci-Fi plans to release another feature packed DVD set and more importantly, intends to film the other books in the series. Though not as absorbing as the first books in the series, they do have their moments and with some effort could be made into something at least as good as Children of Dune. Congrats to all involved.

See what good casting and score can do?

[sowr · 12 April 2003]

Long live the Golden Age -- we need more movies based upon the classics.

COD is good, better than Soderberg's Solaris (I know, I've got a chip on my shoulder).

I did not enjoy the sequel novels as much as the original Dune novel, and so I had no real hopes for this SciFi Channel Production.

It was head and shoulders better than the original mini-series for the following reasons:

1) Better casting -- in particular James McAvoy, who brought power, emotion, and sensitivity to his role. An almost Shakespearean hero. 2) Stunningly beautiful score -- thanks to Brian Tyler.

I'm not going to beat up on the story, original or screenplay, I have no real complaints, it was well paced and well told.

The film seemed very sumptuous, although I agree that, at times, COD had a very 'filmed on the set' feel to it, particularly the deep desert scenes, the true character of Arrakis still has yet to be realized on screen, and computer effects still have a long way to go (on any film) to lose the sterile feel.

Because of the better casting and score, I found it very easy to suspend disbelief, allow myself to be drawn in, and become emotionally interested, something which science fiction films seem to have trouble doing (Gattaca is an exception).

On that note alone I would give COD a very high rating and call it the best science fiction film I have seen in a couple of years.

A Mature and Deep Intergalactic Adventure!!!!!!!

[David_del_Real_Reviews_in_IMDb · 10/10 · 2 January 2018]

------- Children of Dune.- (2003) Miniseries.- -------

---A Mature and Deep Intergalactic Adventure!!!!!!!!----

When I purchased the "CHILDREN OF DUNE" miniseries some years ago, I didn´t remember much of the David Lynch´s DUNE movie of the eighties and still haven´t read anything related to this Herbert´s Universe that was so interesting maybe because, differently to other Space Sagas, this one emphasizes the differences between different human groups rather than between different species along the cosmos and how they interact with each other. Even when some species different to humans are very important, the way that these groups behave, more than their species is what impacts the story the most.

I remember not liking David Lynch´s DUNE much the first time I saw it, but I have learned to appreciate its value as the unique and brave piece of art it is. Nevertheless I found this miniseries completely enjoyable and interesting, so this review intends to give my general point of view about it, completely unrelated to other versions printed of filmed concerning Herbert´s DUNE Universe, for more specific comments, please take a look at the reviews I expect to publish for its individual episodes.

As a general comment, I think this miniseries is very interesting for two main reasons:

1) Details a story where even when it is supposed that Muad' Dib, the hero and pretended Messiah of this adventure, has in theory fulfilled a lot of what was expected of him, the Universe is still a mess as humans remain humans and human conflicts remain human conflicts,

2) It provides one of the few Sci-Fi Sagas that provide a mature view of human problems, providing not only heroes and villains, but also a variety of characters in different shades of gray.

Thanks for reading.

IMDb Review written by David del Real.

Mexico City, Mexico.

2018.

This started out well and descended into the abyss by episode 3.

[machrf · 6/10 · 7 April 2021]

One could say that Paul made his sister go insane. Had he not left to wander the desert and been faithful to his family she would not have tried to drink as much water as she had. You could tell she relied on his stability in the first mini series and he was able to guide her. How much of that is in the books, I don't know. I plan to find out. That one plot fault ruined this for me because his abandonment of his sister and Mother caused the later episodes and his own death. This book is where I had stopped reading the series, years ago, because I did not like the direction it was headed.

If it is similar to the book, it makes no sense that he could see into the future and feel he had to leave in order for these things to play out. What could have been worse than this? This is the best possible future? I don't buy it.

I was a bit disappointed in the new actors playing known roles. Saskia Reeves was a great Jessica. She rivaled Francesca Annis. Alice Krige performed surprisingly well for Jessica. She has a coldness about her that I would not have thought would have worked here. She warmed up enough to make the good scenes work, but still Saskia was better. She brought warmth and care to the role.

The secrets between brother and sister, and all other relationships was a bit much in this series. How could any family survive such intrigue? Still, I would say it was ok to watch this series at least once.

Better than Dune (2000)

[ozthegreatat42330 · 8/10 · 18 March 2007]

This sequel to Dune 2000 was better by far than the earlier film. The actors seem to have finally gotten comfortable with their roles and the story (based on the second and third "Dune" books of Frank Herbert were more on the mark. This production was more stylish and took pains to get it right, and while I still feel that it could have been done better I was heartened after the disappointment of the earlier mini-series. Once again, if I had one complaint it would be the Fremen still suits which looked more like used cammo uniforms of some third world army. They do not give the impression of survival capability that the costumes from the 1984 theatrical version did. Other than that this version manages to accomplish the second and third book stories rather well.

An Uncompromising Reproduction of Frank Herbert's Dune Universe - Disconnected, Sterile Characters

[mha-89327 · 6/10 · 26 March 2021]

Children of Dune (2003) is a visually worthy production which struggles to connect with its audience. While pomp and ceremony may have been the fabric of the civilisation invoked by the dominion of Emperor Moadib; overall, the writing and creative story projection are hamstrung by the innate inhumanity of the storylines premise. That is, while a strong story remains undiscovered concerning the Atradies family legacy, the tale of the people involved seems entirely servile to the need to reproduce Frank Herbert's editoral vision. Consequently, the oration which is represented in the character portrayals informs figures who are emotionally remote from the audience, sterile and innately bound in the political machinations of the ethos of the empire. Much of what is reflected in this production mirrors the structure, politics and culture reflected in the machinations of the legacies of the church of Rome.

Operatively, the breadth of the storyline is so diverse, so deeply rooted in the cultural legacies of the Frank Herbert universe, the inherent psychological reticence of the characters reflects people best represented as facsimiles of Russian babushka dolls. Who each character is, in fact, as a human being, remains deeply nested in political, social and psychological intrigue and multicultural complexities likely only meaningful to an esoterically primed audience.

Consequently, the failure of this production it that the storyline assumes the audience is automatically vested in the deeply complex political and cultural intrigue evident in the imperial society of Frank Herbert's design. For me, I found this production inherently boring, sterile and characters overly disconnected with their audience. There are some exceptions, however, but, sadly, this does not carry sufficient weight to draw the story away from its inevitable downward spiral. Again, for me, character portrayals who consistently labour under the illusion of their own importance, are unfortunately, human caricatures of little more than shallow, vacuous representations of humanity - unreal and innately self-involved. I could not complete the viewing of the three-part series. I found it a trial to observe it to the halfway mark. Disappointed.

Happy endings are neither happy, or an ending

[The-Sarkologist · 8/10 · 7 August 2013]

While I may not have liked Dune all that much when I compared it to David Lynch's masterpiece, this sequel steps out beyond the original movie into unknown territory (particularly for me since I have not read any of the other books beyond Dune) so I was actually very keen in knowing how Frank Herbert extended his original masterpiece, and I must say that he did a very good job in doing so. There are actually six books in the series (and this is not counting the books that were post-humously written and published, since many people seem to reject those books as they do not carry Herbert's style) and this mini-series covers two of them, namely Dune Messiah and Children of Dune.

The series begins twelve years after the end of the previous book, and where in the previous book Paul Artredies is hailed as a hero and a messiah, over the period his armies have spread out over the galaxy and all how refuse to serve him are executed. As they say his name has gone from being a word of hope to that of a curse. It is interesting to see how quickly things can change, though I suspect that the messianic properties that he displayed had more to do with the Fremin than they had to do with the rest of the galaxy.

The further problem is that while Paul may want to rule justly, certain people have arisen within his government that seek their own power and seek to manipulate his religion in their own ways. There is also a lot of scheming and political machinations that are going on around him as well. For instance his concubine is unable to have children, and it is because she is being fed a poison to prevent her from baring children, however this act forces her to resort to other measures, that is consuming spice to over come the effects of the poison, which results in the children being pre-born.

The first episode is basically Dune Messiah and the second and third are Children of Dune and is set another thirteen of so years after the second novel concludes. The focus here goes onto Paul's children, who, as mentioned above, are pre-born. There is another character who is also pre-born, that is Paul's sister. One is pre-born usually because large amounts of spice is consumed during pregnancy, and while they may be born physically as a child, they are born mentally as an adult. They also have a gift which enables them to communicate with their ancestors, that is gain access to their ancestral memories. Unfortunately, there is a danger to doing this because one can actually become possessed by one of the ancestors, which is one of the major plots in this film.

The other interesting thing is, if you remember Lynch's film, is that at the end of the film it rains on Dune, something that has not happened previously. The problem is that the sand worms hate the water, so as the desert begins to retreat, the habitat of the sand worms becomes ever smaller, resulting in less area for them to produce spice. As you know, spice is required for interstellar travel, and if the spice flow halts, then there is no more interstellar travel.

I would like to write more, but a part of me does not want to give too much away. For those who loved Dune (whichever movie) and wants to see what happens after the happy ending in the first movie, then this film does an excellent job. It has also made me want to return to reading the books, at least the next two (since I really see no need to re-read the first one).

Based on Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel in which Atreides ascension causes a bloody war

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 15 December 2022]

This Children of Dune (2003) by Greg Yaitanes being the continuation of the 2000 miniseries by John Harrison , and based on on the second and third novels of Frank Herbert's series and may be confusing and really complex to the uninitiated . Now 12 years since Paul Atreides (Alec Newman) has become emperor of Arrakis , which has a monopoly on the precious commodity Spice , but his ascension to the throne has caused a holy war across the universe . Dealing with the twins (James McAvoy , Jessica Brooks) of Paul "Muad'dib" , the real protagonists of the tale . As Atreides family become embroiled in the political landscape of Arrakis ("Dune") and the rest of the universe . It has also caused rivalry with the deposed royal family led by scheming Princess Wensicia (Susan Sarandon) . Paul's children , Leto and Ghanima who are being groomed to rule , soon come to realize they must destroy their father's legacy in order to save their world. Then, Alia Atreides (Daniela Amavia) , Paul sister, takes over the rule. The Atreides Family must overcome a conspiracy that threatens to destroy their legacy and undermine their House in the eyes of The Empire . Born to rule an empire !. Destined to tear it apart !. The saga of Dune is far from over...! Discover the greatest treasure in the universe !.

This is the follow-up to Dune series (2000) a three-part miniseries on politics , betrayal , lust, greed and the coming of a Messiah played by Alec Newman accompanied by William Hurt , Saskia Reeves , P. H. Moriarty , Ian McNeice , Matt Keeslar , while this sequel Children of Dune (2003) is well performed by Alec Newman , Julie Cox , Ian McNeice , Steven Berkoff , James McAvoy , Jessica Brooks, Daniela Amavia, Susan Sarandon , Edward Atterton and Alice Krige . Dealing with a sinister conspiracy in which only Paul's children can stop this catastrophe from destroying everything and saving House Atreides from this malevolent force . As usual , there are habitual confrontations between Atreides/Corrino houses who attempt to take violently control of Arrakis , also known as Dune , the planet desert , the valuable spice drug , the Freemen inhabitants , and of course, the giant worms . This miniseries successfully combines visuals with character , though the complicated story is still somewhat overwhelming . The series boasts great set design , breathtaking special effects in 3D computer generator , muddled scripting and a good main and support cast .

Furthermore these two teleplays : Dune (2000) by John Harrison and Children of Dune (2003) by Greg Yaitanes , there're the infamous David Lynch version : Dune (1984) with Kyle McLachlan, Francesca Annis , Sean Young Jose Ferrer , Linda Hunt , Max Von Sidow , Freddie Jones , Brad Dourif . And the best rendition Dune (2021) by Denis Villeneuve with Timothée Chalamet , Rebecca Ferguson , Oscar Isaac , Jason Momoa, Stellan Skarsgård, Chang Chen , Dave Bautista , Zendaya , Charlotte Rampling, Stephen Henderson , Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem.

Children of Dune(2003) region free Blu-ray

[robfollower · 8/10 · 8 December 2021]

The acting is very solid . You can tell at times that the actors were on a green screen set, but the CGI is generally very well done and there are some cool practical effects as well . The athletics of Dune lore and set design compelling for a TV low budget network show. Children of Dune it will never have the budget of the original Lynch film, it was a wonderful to see a "continuation" of the Dune saga on the screen. This is some excellent story telling.

In "Frank Herbert's Children of Dune," writer John Harrison and director Greg Yaitanes adapt Herbert's 1969 novel "Dune Messiah" and 1976 novel "Children of Dune" into a three-part miniseries starring Alec Newman as Paul Muad'Dib Atreides, Julie Cox as Princess Irulan, Edward Atterton as Duncan Idaho, Ian McNeie as the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Daniela Amavia as Alia Atreides, Alice Krige as Lady Jessica, Susan Sarandon as Princess Wensicia, James McAvoy as Leto II Atreides, and Jessica Brooks as Ghanima Atreides.

The first episode adapts "Dune Messiah," with deposed Emperor Shaddam IV and his daughter planning a coup d'état to restore House Corrino to power. The Bene Tleilaxu gift Paul a ghola of his deceased friend Duncan Idaho, but they conditioned the clone to assassinate Paul. Paul loses his sight after an attack with a nuclear weapon and his sister, Alia, begins purging enemies. When a Face Dancer attempts to activate the ghola's conditioning, Duncan resists and aids Paul. The Face Dancer next attacks Paul and Chani's children, but they use their power to help the blind Paul rescue them. Paul walks into the desert, leaving his children in Alia's care.

The second and third episodes adapt "Children of Dune," with Princess Irulan working to protect the children, Leto II and Ghanima, while Alia serves as regent and leads her own religion. Alia grows to fear Jessica's connection to the Bene Gesserit, especially as Alia's pre-born abilities lead people to suspect her of being an abomination. Meanwhile, a preacher appears in the capital and speaks out against the blind rituals surrounding Muad'Dib. Alia uses her genetic memories to consult her ancestors and her grandfather, the Baron Harkonnen, begins to seize control of her mind. Wensicia continues her plotting, attempting to assassinate the twins Leto and Ghanima. Leto fakes his death in order to develop his powers to counter Alia's growing madness. The Preacher's identity is revealed and Leto realizes he must lead humanity along the Golden Path in order to ensure its survival. In the end, the Preacher, Paul, denounces Alia's religion before a rebel Fremen kills him. Leto defeats Alia while Ghanima marries Wensicia's son Farad'n, thereby consolidating power between Houses Atreides and Corrino. Leto begins the transformation that will turn him into the God Emperor.

Better than Nothing

[roark183 · 7/10 · 23 June 2004]

I am glad to see Herbert's novels get on the screen, but I would hope to see a better job in the future. The one bright star in this was Julie Cox. She does an outstanding job as Irulan Corrino. She carries herself in a truly regal manner, just as one would expect of royalty. But Alec Newman wears thin and tiresome as Paul Atreides. When he is on the screen, I find myself thinking "I can't wait for this to end" as opposed to when Julie Cox is on screen - "What a refreshing moment!"

I hope this film will end this series and the producers will pickup with Brian Herbert's prequels. That way we can be done with Alec Newman.

Dreadful

[catherinejohnson9 · 1/10 · 25 February 2014]

The acting in this is quite simply dreadful and such liberties have been taken with the storyline that makes it impossible for anyone to follow unless they know the book well, in which case they will cringe. Stilgar has no presence, Jessica is weak beyond belief and completely overshadowed by Wensicia who is not a Bene Gesserit and should be of lesser stature. The twins should be younger and Irulan should be blond. All these are easily remedied aspects and changing them adds nothing to the plot. The simplification of the story is understandable and probably necessary but where details are retained, they should be kept true. Palimbasha was not killed by a crysknife but with a poisoned dart - why change it? Alia threw herself out of a window rather than stabbing herself. One highpoint is the Baron Harkonnen who is simply deliciously evil and his control is depicted well, as is the careful and gradually increasing living skin of Leto. What a shame the rest does not live up to it.