Rating: 
Summary: John Harrison's ignorance legacy
Review: I remember heard about this sequel a few weeks after watch the fist miniseries and a few days after write web about how bad John Harrison make his work.
Sometimes a few pages needs more than a few hours, and create a sequel using the second and third book shows how is the little knowledge about the Frank herbert's masterpiece saga.
From the beginning we can watch the mistakes when the producers change only the few good actors from the first part for some others a little better, but let in the rest of characters in the flesh of very bad actors specially Paul Atreides.
No one can discuss how great actress is Susan Sarandon, maybe the best of the miniseries with Alice Krige, but Alec Newman still can't take the soul a Paul and his troubled heart.
Again in his try to mix two different stories John Harrison use some things who oppose them and let behind many and more important others. In the end the great tragedy of Paul Atreides result in a very soft story about conspirations and empires crumblings far away from the exploration of the life of one messiah and his legacy.
To me the books of Frank Herbert left me great lessons about life and who to face somethings of the soul, Harrison erase all of that from the Dune Messiah and Children of Dune, just to make a 6 or more hours miniseries, when he could use much more just to do a faithfully adaptation.
There is no romance, no epic, no real drama, just a mechanical story who shows me how so much Harrison and his friends talk about his knowledge of Dune and how little is really this.
From the fisrt part is also missing the work of Graeme Revell, maybe some of the few good things from that moment, now replaced by someone who try to make some king of Deep Forest and Enigma mix of music giving the chance to the director to make some kind a videoclip in the end of the first part.
(...) Dune deserves something better so much better.
Rating: 
Summary: wonderful!
Review: I loved the first one, and I love the 2nd! the cgi is better, the black light stuff (blue glowing eyes) is better (there isn't the blacklight glow all over the place). a must for all Dune fans! I personally hope there's another one that comes out!
Rating:
Summary: The Saga of Dune is far from over.....I hope
Review: "History is written on the sands of Arakkis..."So begins the tale of one of the most epic mini-series ever produced;and rarely have truer words ever been spoken.Based on Frank Herbert's second and third books in his Dune saga,Children of Dune is a breathtaking look into the mind of a genius.The science-fiction equivalent of Tolkien,Herbert has brought to life a universe unlike any other,that,without fail,sucks you into it in a maelstrom of love,lineage,and legacy.And much to the surprise and awe of a Dune junkie like myself,director Greg Yaitanes not only manages to do Herbert justice with this small screen outing,but manages to do him proud as well. With awesome special effects(check out the worms!!),perfect casting,mindblowing cinematography,and the greatest soundtrack I have ever had the privilege of hearing,the Children of Dune mini-series is the ultimate science-fiction saga of our time.Arakkis is as real,raw,and powerful as any Shire,Hogwarts,or galaxy far,far away. Step inside a world of political intrigue,action, and drama.Bear witness to the triumphs of men as well as his tragedies.Behold the Fremen at his best,and also at his worst.And watch as life is born,ended,and given meaning in a beautiful epic that is,in the best and only way to describe it,undying. Step inside the majesty of Children of Dune.
Rating:
Summary: Better than the 1st miniseries
Review: The Atreides family returns in this excellent sequel to Frank Herbert's Dune. Based on the novels Dune Messiah and Children of Dune, this miniseries succeeds where its predecessor failed -- it has an interesting, tightly woven plot that, for the most part, stays true to the novels that inspired it. Children of Dune also has a wonderful cast of actors -- Alec Newman certainly seems to have matured as an actor since the first time he played Paul Muad'Dib Atreides, and Daniela Amavia made Paul's pre-born sister, Alia, a complex and fascinating character. I loved seeing James McAvoy as Leto II and Jessica Brooks as Leto's twin sister Ghanima, and it was also good to see Julie Cox return in the role of Irulan. The biggest surprises in the cast by far were Susan Sarandon as Princess Wencisia and Alice Krige as Lady Jessica. A project like Children of Dune seems to be so far outside of Sarandon's normal milieu, yet she played the role of the treacherous Corrino princess very well. Alice Krige was an awesome replacement for Saskia Reeves in the role of Jessica (Ms. Reeves had to bow out of Children of Dune because she was pregnant when they began filming), and she is no stranger to science fiction, having previously played the Borg Queen in Star Trek: First Contact. Although the Children of Dune DVD is noticeably lacking when it comes to special features (save for a featurette about the visual effects), it is one that I would definitely recommend to anyone who has a special affection for the world that Frank Herbert created.
Rating:
Summary: Superb sci-fi
Review: I have never read the books. Hence, this review will be for someone who is "un-initiated" to the DUNE universe. There, I have that out of the way. That said, I still think my thoughts on this series might be relevant, for I'm fairly certain there might be other persons out there who have not read Herbert, but would be intrigued with buying the story on DVD. I liked the original DUNE, although some of it was rather bizarre. I actually liked CHILDREN OF DUNE even more; it's perhaps the greatest synthesis of science fiction and the occult that TV has ever seen. Perhaps that's not saying much, but I found this combination to be interesting. The CGI special effects are very impressive - especially some of the worm scenes. The soundtrack is top-knotch (much better than the original DUNE) and adds a great deal to the poignancy of the tale. The best part of this series, however, is the acting. Continuing his portrayal of Paul Atreides, Alec Newman is an excellent tragic-hero. For such a young actor, James McAvoy has a very commanding screen-presence. If NOTHING else catches your fancy, the film also has some of the most gorgeous women in the most lavish costumes, courtesy of Jessica Brooks & Daniela Amavia. The one weak point, for me, is the headwear on some of the costumes. The costumes themselves are, for the most part, quite good. The headwear on a few of them looked like they were straight out of the original 1960s STAR TREK series. Very gaudy. If you want to see a sweeping spectacle and enjoy quality science fiction stories, then this DVD is highly recommended. Just be sure you buy the original DUNE first and then set your compass for planet Arrakis.
Rating:
Summary: Take this Golden Path....
Review: Masterfully done, the saga of Dune continues. What is there to not like? Everything about this is fantastic. The customes are extotic and sexy, while the special effects of the worms, eye-popping. The only thing is the digital backgrounds, colors, and digtially created cities are a bit fakey. Leto II has an uncanny resemblence to Alec Newman. The scenes with the baron reappearing are masterfully done. My only complaint (well 2) the tigers are dumb looking and the entire thing is a tiny bit slow. There isn't as much action in these books anyways (hence the slowness of the film). Once more, the sci-fi channel scores a knock-out punch. My only worry is that they try to make the next abyssmal novel. Who wants to see Leto turn into a giant-sandworm? Heretics would be fabulous but God would absolutely suck......But watch Children and enjoy......
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Adaptation
Review: This movie continues to haunt me nearly a year after seeing it on the Sci-Fi channel. It a grand epic filled with intrigue, mystery and human drama. The creators strike a perfect balance between giving us the large-scale panorama of a galactic empire and the flawed and tragic family who have wrested control of it. The two most important story elements from "Children" and "Messiah" are here and deeply compelling: Seeing Alia's doomed reign and Leto II begin his transformation into the God Emperor on film gave me new appreciation for the second and third books in the series. The film is technically excellent for a television mini-series. The actors are all well-cast for their roles. The score is filled with beautiful and haunting interludes and themes. The production values (sets, lighting, sound, etc) are top-notch. Many of the CG elements aren't as realistic as today's top films, but the creators weren't working with a $100 million budget. Dune fans (like me) rejoice in seeing more of the Dune stories filmed. People who are unfamiliar with Dune can sample this film and it's Sci-Fi predecessor and decide if they should be Dune fans.
Rating:
Summary: one of most enjoyable sci-fi/fantasy viewings going
Review: Children of Dune works, works really well, so well in fact that it is in the top class of fantasy film viewing experience going. The music is brilliant, very emotive, and it is complimented by the story presented in such a way that you are drawn in. Despite being a made for t.v mini-series, it is just as good as your more heavyweight film classics in the genre.
Rating:
Summary: A triumph. Must see for all fans of the Dune novels.
Review: I did not like the TV adaptation of Frank Herbert's first Dune novel very much perhaps because the said TV adaptation fares badly when compared with the larger-than-life mystical vision of the 1984 movie adaptation. However, "Frank Herbert's Children of Dune", the TV adaptation of the second and third books of the Dune saga, suffers no such weakness. It is a major triumph - spectacular, moving, mystical, well-paced, and coherent despite being faithful to the complex source materials (Dune Messiah and Children of Dune). I was especially amazed that its first half, based on Dune Messiah, is so well put together. Susan Sarandon and Alice Krige (the Borg Queen!) both shine as the scheming Princess Wensicia and the exiled Lady Jessica respectively, while Alec Newman grows into the role of the reluctant Messiah - he makes a better Paul here than he did in the first mini-series. At the end of the first series, Muad'Dib of the Fremen, Paul Atreides (Alec Newman), has defeated the armies of the Harkonens and the Padishah Emperor on the planet Arrakis. He is enthroned as the new Emperor even as his ferocious Fremen army sweeps across the known universe in a jihad to destroy all resistance to his rule. He marries Princess Irulan to cement his power but does not consumate the marriage - Chani remains his one true love. As "Children of Dune" starts, billions have died as a result of the ongoing jihad, which has taken a life of its own well beyond the control of Paul. Paul has become a Messiah of sorts for a new religion that has arisen in his name and propagated by Alia, Paul's unstable sister, and by the powerful Fremen priesthood. Paul is haunted by the death toll of the wars waged in his name, but does not know how to stop the jihad - or rather, he knows that the price of stopping it may well be beyond his endurance. In the meantime, enemies of the new order, within and without, weave plots within plots to dethrone the new Emperor. Fremen malcontents plot to return Arrakis to the old ways while Fremen priests plan to wrest power from the Emperor. Bene Gesserit witches plot with Princess Irulan to prevent Chani from conceiving any heirs while Princess Wensicia (Susan Sarandon) of the dethroned House Corrino, the Tleilaxu and the Spacing Guild plot to present the new Emperor with a deadly gift - a Trojan Horse that he could not refuse. Meanwhile, Alia is slowly losing her grip on her sanity as voices from the past take over her mind. Paul must use all of his visionary powers and be prepared to sacrifice everything to ensure that his heirs, Leto II (James McAvoy) and Ghanima (Jessica Brooks), survive to put an end to the deadly legacy that he started. This is epic sci-fi done right, and is well worth watching. Five stars and two thumbs up. Will they ever make an adaptation of God Emperor of Dune? I sure hope so!
Rating: 
Summary: Amusingly addictive ...
Review: I don't know what it is about this series, but I like it, even though I was prepared to dislike it based on the first Dune series (which contained laughable costumes and boring conversations). And so that you know where I'm coming from, my standard for costume, locations and actors is the movie directed by David Lynch. Some reasons why I like it are: Alia with her wide eyes and strong nose, the pathetic Princess Irulan, women who are in positions of power, Leto with his presence, the sad music, the decent costumes, and the better acting overall. Some reasons why I dislike it are: the fake outdoor shots, the wedding costume of Prince Faydeen (?), and Alice Krige as Jessica who looks too delicate.
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