Rating: 
Summary: wonderful.
Review: "Diehard" sci-fi fans will always inevitably make a comparison to the original dune book by Frank Herbert. The book spans some three hundred something pages, and to fit the intricacies of a novel of this length and detail into a mini-series is impossible; the comparison between the tv mini-series and the book, even, is a pointless one. With each transfer to a different medium, you lose details and you gain others, since each medium has its unique idiosyncrasies. Therefore, it seems to me a mistake to judge the mini-series or even the movie in comparison to the book, and makes even more sense to judge it independently within the context of each medium. If any comparison can be made is that this mini-series adequately preserves the human element and its metaphoric parallel relevance to our own time of environmental degradation, political intrigue and corruption, lifestyle dependence on finite natural resources, and spirituality as the original book intended. Some might even consider it "injustice" to the book, that some details of fremen rituals or political "feints within feints within feints within feints" were excluded. I might even suggest that for the medium, and the time allowed, these scenes, although relevant, are not necessarily needed. The directors of the mini-series have done a wonderful job adapting the book to the screen. If you judge this series for what it is, and not how exacting it fits into the book, you will derive much more enjoyment and meaning from herbert's intentions, than if you nitpick. :-)
Rating: 
Summary: Tried too hard
Review: It was too bright, too preppy, and reminds me of today’s Saturday morning cartoons. The dialog is horrible, they even mispronounce Harkonnen, and what the hell is with the costumes? They call the Spice melange simply the “Spice,” nothing else and they do a horrible job explaining it. The orinthoptors don’t flap their wings, (an orinthoptor is a aircraft that flies exactly like a bird) The shield fighting scene in the first part was god awful, The worse scene in the mini series is with the hunter seeker, the moment Paul spoke the seeker would of buried itself in his forehead. ...99 percent of actors in this show are British TV actors that no one has ever heard of! Alec Newmen portray of Paul was horrid, if he talk like to his mother in the book he would have been slapped! Dr. Yeuh has almost no say in this movie, (Like Sting in the David Lynch movie). The only good thing that was done in this movie was character development of the Baron (showing that he was gay) and the action sequences (the only problem with those what they failed to show how freman use missile launchers to take out carry-alls and the harvesters) If I was ever give a chance to do this film (not bloody likely) Use original costumes, original worm design, better acting, better performers, and taken more time to do things.
Rating: 
Summary: someone please apologize to Frank Herbert's family
Review: I read the Dune series a number of times and feel that i have a fairly good grasp of the philosophies and environment that Herbert so masterfully created. A tale of religon, power and corruption on a grand scale and at the same time a very human story detailing one mans journey from childhood to adulthood to martyrdom. This mini-series is none of those things. The Lnych movie was an awful piece of garbage (Sting's portrayl of Feyd was the only good thing about it). The series attempts to be more faithful to the story and generally it is. But in it's attempt to tell the original story better they forget to get anything right. The role of Jessica was embarassing, she was a subservient housewife, when she should have been a prime shaper of the story. Paul's trnsformation from privileged rich boy to desert prophet was completely missed. And the Gurney and Stilgar roles were pathetic and without any energy. please do not waste you hard earned cash on this garbage
Rating: 
Summary: A Comprehensible Version of the Classic
Review: I am pleased to own this new version of Dune ! For all those who did not enjoy the dark, brooding, depressing Original, this movie is for you ! Don't pass it by, because of your feelings about the first version of Dune. I avoided watching this, for quite some time--not willing to give 4 hours to a remake of the first "Dune." However, I finally gave it a chance and I was very impressed! I saw the original at the movie theater, when it opened, and I watched the original again a few years ago--but, this New version is Much More Comprehensible (!!!) and flows very well. It is not so herky-jerky and doesn't have the spliced-together feel of the first movie, which just seemed like it was chopped-up and glued-together. No more dark atmosphere, either and the clothing seems more appropriate. The scenes are Wonderful and the Character Development is believable. No flat acting in this film ! This version of Dune will suck you in and keep your attention for hours. The special effects are fascinating, but not over-done. It's all-about the Story & you get a lot more of the Story, with this new version of "Dune." This version gives a Deeper look into the life and development of the main character. His evolution from spoiled rich kid into messiah is more believable and much-more TIME is given to his personal journey and progress amongst the natives. I was very impressed with this film. There are many Classic scenes, in the old film--esp., due to Sting's performance...so, buy both of them !
Rating: 
Summary: How could they have gotten it SO WRONG
Review: The book was about the characters. This mini-series didn't give any insight into the characters as Frank Herbert wrote them...What character development there was, was completely wrong. If you read and loved the book, don't bother with this, it will bore you to tears. At least the movie version was fun to watch.
Rating:
Summary: Extremely well done.
Review: I actually saw this movie before I read the book (I know, I know, 25 year old sci-fi buff and I had never read it!?). I thought it was so incredible that I ran out and bought all the Dune books. Dune is an extremely complex story and I feel that all aspects of this movie were very well done. So as to not be long winded, I will breifly touch on a few things. First, the acting. Wonderful. Incredible. Most notable was the actor that played Paul. Obviously, as the center of the story, the character is extremely important and the most impressive thing about the performance is the way the character evolves and develops from the beginning to the end. You really see a change. I thought the effects were incredible (the glowing blue eyes were great!) and the sandworms were really spectacular. The sets and costumes were very intricate and extremely well thought out. All in all, I highly recommend it and can't wait for the Sci-Fi channel's followup, "Children of Dune."
Rating:
Summary: Uneven but true to the story it is telling
Review: Finally, someone has made a Dune movie that is long enough to trully tell Frank Hebert's classic sci-fi epic. This is a nearly four hour long marathon of a mini-series that goes through the entire Dune story missing little, and managing to aviod plot sidetracks that tend to destroy these kinds of projects (why directors and screen writers think they can change a story to make it better than any bestselling classic is beyond my comprehension). The acting while not spectacular is still solid. They managed to get some experianced stage actors to accompany William Hurt. The fighting is setup and executed much better than the last Hollywood version of this movie. The worst problem was the fact that the special effects were uneven. The first hour of the movie looked like a big budget type picture. Unfortanlly they seemed to run out of money one-third of the way through, after that all of the static diologe scenes had backgrounds that looked like badly painted canvas, not a desert.
Rating:
Summary: A Sweeping, Enthralling Sci-Fantasy Epic...
Review: I have never read Frank Herbert's novels, and so therefore I can only review this adaptation based on its merits as a film - or, to be more accurate, as a made-for-television film. This considered, I think that Frank Herbert's Dune is a triumphant success that manages to outdo the David Lynch offering from the early 80s in almost every possible way. It is clear that Lynch tried to fit a vast narrative into a two hour feature, and that the pacing suffered as a direct result of it. Thus the miniseries format (in which this first premiered on Sci-Fi) has a definite edge over its predecessor. The tale is finally given the canvas that it deserves (and the modern technology as well). Dune is full of intrigues and bitter rivalries, and all of the actors involved in this project are superb. The set designs are amazing and probably set new standards, and the visuals are far preferable to those seen in the 80s version (as can be expected, of course). And yet none of the production values serve to conceal the true star of the picture - the story. And the story is most certainly a winner. Frank Herbert's Dune is certainly the best made-for-television picture to come forth in quite some time (next to Attila in its quality). As a result, grading on a made-for-television curve, Dune earns its 5 stars, and even were it a theatrical motion picture I would have no reluctance to offer 4...
Rating:
Summary: Dune Almost Revisited
Review: The new Dune mini-series is a prettier version of Herbert's epic, but is not a patch on Lynch's 1984 version. It lacks the sheer menace of Lynch's film - it is, after all, the tale of a life and death struggle - and takes distorting liberties with Herbert's text. Paul, for example, is portrayed as a sulky, rebellious youth rather than as the dutiful,conscientious and loving son of Duke Leto. The sympathetic relationship between Paul and Irulan is not in the book. William Hurt is wooden and impassive as Duke Leto, and lacks the charisma necessary to be the potent leader of a great House. While it is true that Lynch's film is incomprehensible unless the viewer has read Herbert's novel, it is a far more faithful translation of Herbert's story into film than the mini-series. If you enjoyed Herbert's book - and I think it is one of the great science fiction novels - than you will be annoyed by the mini-series' departures from the text. The film for all its faults, is still gripping viewing and conveys the classic tension between the forces of good and evil more convincingly than the almost languid mini-series. To be fair, the mini-series does have some positive features. However, beautifully designed sets and costumes, and realistic computer generated technology are no substitute for engaging characterisation and enthralling plot. I wouldn't discourage anyone from viewing the new "Dune" mini-series. But I do warn: be prepared to be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Which Version is Better???
Review: The battle rages... Not the one in the movie, the one over which "Dune" is THE version to watch: the David Lynch 1984 version or the 2000 made- for-TV version. If you are unfamiliar with the story, it's far too detailed to go into here, but I can tell you that it's really less of a science fiction story and more of a political/coming-of- age/love/prophecy/war/action story all rolled into one. The reason Herbert's novel was (and is) such a hit is that all these elements are present and done well. It spoke to a lot of people when it came out in the 1960's and still does today. It's a very powerful story that, let's face it, is almost impossible to successfully put onscreen. But let's take a look anyway... The 2000 version has several advantages over the Lynch version: It is much more comprehensive in scope, there is a much clearer distinction of which planet we're looking at and what is happening there, and the film just plain looks good. The sets and costumes are first rate, and most of the special effects work convincingly. Even though the producers went to a lot of trouble to get a wide variety of actors, they really never settle in or have chemistry as an ensemble. Several people have mentioned William Hurt's "sleepwalking" performance. Actually he's not in much of the film. Probably the filmmakers needed a successful, proven name to carry the film and bring in an audience beyond those who typically watch the Sci-Fi Channel, where it was first shown. After all is said and done, the best way to experience Dune is in print. It is a fascinating book (even if you don't like science fiction) that will pull you into the worlds of Dune and its characters. Get the book, dive in and enjoy.
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