Let's start with what's good about the 2021 film: The vehicles and the sense of scale. Both are well done.
And now for the weaker points....
This film features no emperor, no Feyd, no Guild Navigator, almost no intrigue, and no sense of impending doom. Mentats and the Guild were played down to almost being non-existent.
The big bad Sardaukar army in this new version of Dune are wimpy compared to their portrayal in the 1984 film. The taking of house Atreides is over in a flash and the battle scenes throughout the film are weak (unless you count the one big explosion during the siege).
Despite the Baron's homage to Colonel Kurtz, the Harkonnens are like pussycats compared to the debased psychos from Lynch's 1984 film. As a result, they don't present nearly the level of threat or stress to the heroes. The sense of terror, disgust, despair, and intimidation that existed in the 1984 film is missing here. Adding to this are that most of the actors seemed to be sleep-walking through their roles in this 2021 film. It appears that only Jason Momoa and the warrior that Paul kills near the end of the film were really trying.
The 'hand in the box' sequence failed to really convey the dire situation that Paul was in. Compare this to the horror and intensity of that same scene in the 1984 film. Other details like the personal (Holtzman) shield were more effectively conveyed in the 1984 film. Something halfway between what was shown in the two films might have been more appropriate.
Casting: Well, there's just no comparison for the most part. The casting in the 1984 film eclipses that of the new movie (especially for characters like Gurney Halleck, Dr. Kynes, Chani, and IMHO, the Baron). I prefer Kyle MacLachlan's portrayal of Paul, but I understand that Chamalet is closer to the age of the character in the book, so I guess that evens out. As for the Duke, both actors did a good job, but if I had to choose, I'd say Jürgen Prochnow for the win.
The musical score for the 2021 film is forgettable whereas the 1984 score is epic and features numerous strong hooks and a lot of variety. Sound design in the 1984 film is also stronger. It's a mystery as to why so many 80s films have stronger sound design than recent films, considering that we can now work with digital tracks, rather than cutting and splicing tape.
Editing for this new film is slow and plodding (and also much less complex than the 1984 film). Edits in Lynch's theatrical cut are all there for a specific reason (to convey necessary information to the audience -- much of it visual). The 2021 film has a number of scenes that could have been cut since they're not essential to the plot and they don't convey enough atmosphere to really contribute to the sense of world-building.
Pacing: Again, the 1984 theatrical cut of Lynch's Dune wins again. Pacing in the 2021 film is slow and plodding (and this is coming from someone who likes a good, slow, atmospheric film). The three-quarter mark is so uninteresting that I actually started to look at the clock.
I would also give the 1984 film the advantage of having a proper resolution, but I understand that this new movie is just a segment of an arc. So I'll leave that be.
Hopefully, the actors for these new films turn out to be a bit more endearing so that the audience can become more invested in them. That would certainly help the scenes that are to come.
Again, there's no doubt that this new film is a great effort. It just feels a bit flat and suffers from some issues with conveying important information about characters and motives.
So, ultimately, this 2021 film is worth a look, closer to the book, and features some nice ground and air vehicle designs. Just don't expect to get emotionally involved in it to any significant degree.
And now for the weaker points....
This film features no emperor, no Feyd, no Guild Navigator, almost no intrigue, and no sense of impending doom. Mentats and the Guild were played down to almost being non-existent.
The big bad Sardaukar army in this new version of Dune are wimpy compared to their portrayal in the 1984 film. The taking of house Atreides is over in a flash and the battle scenes throughout the film are weak (unless you count the one big explosion during the siege).
Despite the Baron's homage to Colonel Kurtz, the Harkonnens are like pussycats compared to the debased psychos from Lynch's 1984 film. As a result, they don't present nearly the level of threat or stress to the heroes. The sense of terror, disgust, despair, and intimidation that existed in the 1984 film is missing here. Adding to this are that most of the actors seemed to be sleep-walking through their roles in this 2021 film. It appears that only Jason Momoa and the warrior that Paul kills near the end of the film were really trying.
The 'hand in the box' sequence failed to really convey the dire situation that Paul was in. Compare this to the horror and intensity of that same scene in the 1984 film. Other details like the personal (Holtzman) shield were more effectively conveyed in the 1984 film. Something halfway between what was shown in the two films might have been more appropriate.
Casting: Well, there's just no comparison for the most part. The casting in the 1984 film eclipses that of the new movie (especially for characters like Gurney Halleck, Dr. Kynes, Chani, and IMHO, the Baron). I prefer Kyle MacLachlan's portrayal of Paul, but I understand that Chamalet is closer to the age of the character in the book, so I guess that evens out. As for the Duke, both actors did a good job, but if I had to choose, I'd say Jürgen Prochnow for the win.
The musical score for the 2021 film is forgettable whereas the 1984 score is epic and features numerous strong hooks and a lot of variety. Sound design in the 1984 film is also stronger. It's a mystery as to why so many 80s films have stronger sound design than recent films, considering that we can now work with digital tracks, rather than cutting and splicing tape.
Editing for this new film is slow and plodding (and also much less complex than the 1984 film). Edits in Lynch's theatrical cut are all there for a specific reason (to convey necessary information to the audience -- much of it visual). The 2021 film has a number of scenes that could have been cut since they're not essential to the plot and they don't convey enough atmosphere to really contribute to the sense of world-building.
Pacing: Again, the 1984 theatrical cut of Lynch's Dune wins again. Pacing in the 2021 film is slow and plodding (and this is coming from someone who likes a good, slow, atmospheric film). The three-quarter mark is so uninteresting that I actually started to look at the clock.
I would also give the 1984 film the advantage of having a proper resolution, but I understand that this new movie is just a segment of an arc. So I'll leave that be.
Hopefully, the actors for these new films turn out to be a bit more endearing so that the audience can become more invested in them. That would certainly help the scenes that are to come.
Again, there's no doubt that this new film is a great effort. It just feels a bit flat and suffers from some issues with conveying important information about characters and motives.
So, ultimately, this 2021 film is worth a look, closer to the book, and features some nice ground and air vehicle designs. Just don't expect to get emotionally involved in it to any significant degree.