I didn't watch the Dune movies, only having read the book (or rather listened since I got the audiobook). But I understand your frustration because that's how I feel about Warhammer 40k. It's like the only time you're allowed to have some religious fervor is in some fake made up religion. Of course, they have to put in some poison pill about how it's akshually bad or something.
I remember how it felt growing up Christian. Basically all media you watch is clearly written by people who don't understand what its like to have faith, you are constantly reminded by the things that you watch that your religion isn't respected. Has undoubtedly had a significant effect on many people.
Good points. SPOILERS: I can't believe they end such a beautifully shot movie with Zendaya doing something her character didn't do in the first book. Tragic. This was supposed to be Paul's curse, Paul's destiny and fate and we end with her being all upset.
I know you're disappointed, but what are your thoughts on the fact that the religion is explicitly stated as a bad thing in both the book and movie? Stilgar is shown to be a fanatic, and Paul and his mother have to abuse the fake religion instilled by the Bene Gesserit in order to win over the people.
Paul knows this prophecy is made up, and he doesn't believe in it, but uses it anyway as a last resort.
It is meant to be tragic as he watches his friend, Stilgar, turn into a worshiper, and then commit a literal Jihad in his name.
I don't think this is the way you'd want to see Christianity in your media no?
I said as much in my tweet that I’m aware that the movie takes a poor interpretation of religion. But that poor interpretation is still leagues better than what Christians receive, and that fact annoys me.
I'm a little late in reading this article, but I can very much empathize with your frustration. My husband and I watched Disney's Swiss Family Robinson the other day, and in the scene where they drop to their knees and thank God for getting them safely to shore hit me a bit hard as I commented to my husband that Hollywood would never put such a scene in a movie nowadays.
And it gets even more frustrating when you see Christian studios that are trying to fill this gap put out such terrible movies as has been the case for the last several decades. It was like we had two choices - watch secular movies and takes the punches and abuse that is often laid out against Christianity (where priests and preachers are the bad guys or Christians are shown as naïve or fanatics or something to be made fun of) or watch poorly made, cheesy Christian movies that just preached at strawmen and really had no basis in reality whatsoever and kind of gave fuel to the mockery leveled against them by the secular media.
I do have some hope lately, though, in the latter (because I have no hope for Hollywood at all and would rather see that industry burnt to the ground so something better and new can rise in its place). Angel Studios, for instance, has of late put out some well done movies that remembered they were meant to entertain first and that the best honor and respect they can give to their Savior is to make a quality product. They aren't perfect, but they are better. I just hope to see more genres tackled in the future.
As a longtime fan of the books I found Villeneuve's Dune to be a mockery of the books.
Important plots and characters are simplified, changed or outright removed. The subtlety of the book is nowhere to be found and the visuals come across like a masturbation session over the director's fetish for brutalism which does not fit the universe at all. It also contains the same woke pandering as other major properties like Star Wars or Rings of Power, merely inserted more carefully.
It makes me sad, as a filmmaker myself, that people continuously fall for smoke & mirrors directors such as Villeneuve and Nolan. Their movies may not be terrible but they are not that good either and incredibly overhyped, likely due to a lack of alternatives.
I didn't watch the Dune movies, only having read the book (or rather listened since I got the audiobook). But I understand your frustration because that's how I feel about Warhammer 40k. It's like the only time you're allowed to have some religious fervor is in some fake made up religion. Of course, they have to put in some poison pill about how it's akshually bad or something.
I remember how it felt growing up Christian. Basically all media you watch is clearly written by people who don't understand what its like to have faith, you are constantly reminded by the things that you watch that your religion isn't respected. Has undoubtedly had a significant effect on many people.
Good points. SPOILERS: I can't believe they end such a beautifully shot movie with Zendaya doing something her character didn't do in the first book. Tragic. This was supposed to be Paul's curse, Paul's destiny and fate and we end with her being all upset.
Very good article haven't given this deep of thought when I watched, again thanks
We already had David Lynch's movie. This movie had no reason to be made.
Let us hope that the 40k tv series has a fraction of this energy when depicting space marines or sisters of battle.
Hi Isaac,
I know you're disappointed, but what are your thoughts on the fact that the religion is explicitly stated as a bad thing in both the book and movie? Stilgar is shown to be a fanatic, and Paul and his mother have to abuse the fake religion instilled by the Bene Gesserit in order to win over the people.
Paul knows this prophecy is made up, and he doesn't believe in it, but uses it anyway as a last resort.
It is meant to be tragic as he watches his friend, Stilgar, turn into a worshiper, and then commit a literal Jihad in his name.
I don't think this is the way you'd want to see Christianity in your media no?
I said as much in my tweet that I’m aware that the movie takes a poor interpretation of religion. But that poor interpretation is still leagues better than what Christians receive, and that fact annoys me.
I'm a little late in reading this article, but I can very much empathize with your frustration. My husband and I watched Disney's Swiss Family Robinson the other day, and in the scene where they drop to their knees and thank God for getting them safely to shore hit me a bit hard as I commented to my husband that Hollywood would never put such a scene in a movie nowadays.
And it gets even more frustrating when you see Christian studios that are trying to fill this gap put out such terrible movies as has been the case for the last several decades. It was like we had two choices - watch secular movies and takes the punches and abuse that is often laid out against Christianity (where priests and preachers are the bad guys or Christians are shown as naïve or fanatics or something to be made fun of) or watch poorly made, cheesy Christian movies that just preached at strawmen and really had no basis in reality whatsoever and kind of gave fuel to the mockery leveled against them by the secular media.
I do have some hope lately, though, in the latter (because I have no hope for Hollywood at all and would rather see that industry burnt to the ground so something better and new can rise in its place). Angel Studios, for instance, has of late put out some well done movies that remembered they were meant to entertain first and that the best honor and respect they can give to their Savior is to make a quality product. They aren't perfect, but they are better. I just hope to see more genres tackled in the future.
Meanwhile, I very much feel your frustration!
As a longtime fan of the books I found Villeneuve's Dune to be a mockery of the books.
Important plots and characters are simplified, changed or outright removed. The subtlety of the book is nowhere to be found and the visuals come across like a masturbation session over the director's fetish for brutalism which does not fit the universe at all. It also contains the same woke pandering as other major properties like Star Wars or Rings of Power, merely inserted more carefully.
It makes me sad, as a filmmaker myself, that people continuously fall for smoke & mirrors directors such as Villeneuve and Nolan. Their movies may not be terrible but they are not that good either and incredibly overhyped, likely due to a lack of alternatives.