Jan1968

Initially I was rather conflicted about this film. As others have mentioned, it starts strong, with stunning visuals, sets and world building and top-notch acting. However, story wise the film dulls down once the supernatural elements enter. It becomes predictable, even kind of boring, if it wasn't for that other surprise element. Lastly, the ending is a bit... lacklustre. But then, in the after credits scenes (there are two!) it becomes apparent the film actually has THREE endings, which retroactively elevates the previous rather mundane story and provides a deeper layer. Not enough to lift the story to GREAT, but it certainly provides food for thought.

So, for the film itself my verdict would be 6, maybe 6.5. So why rate it 8? Well... besides drama and horror, this film is also a musical and it cannot be judged without taking the music in account. Not just the music itself (which is always good and at times simply great and on two occasions even fantastic!) but also the incredibly effective and unexpected use of it during some scenes. I was amazed by the performance of Jack O'Connell, since I didn't know he could sing, only to be amazed even more when I learned that Jayme Lawson is apparently first and foremost an actress and not a singer (contrary to Miles Caton who is foremost a singer). Some girls really do have everything! Ludwig Göransson's score is mesmerising and the performances of the cast (as actors AND as musicians) is on par, with a shoutout to Lawson and Caton, who impress with every note.

This is a strange beast indeed. Don't expect a polished drama, don't expect a full grown horror either and above all, don't expect a musical. But enjoy the unlikely mix of all three. Uneven maybe, but as a whole, thoroughly enjoyable. And -for me a sure sign of possible greatness- some scenes will haunt you in the days after, not for gore but for emotional impact. And quite a few watchers will turn into listeners when they go score-hunting.

We are being spoiled these days. Severance, Silo, 3 Body Problem and several other good shows. This is another one. But, like some other good shows of the past that were cancelled, this one has a problem: it doesn't really fit in today's quick-fix viewer mentality.

Constellation is a slow burner. Lot's of mystery, lot's of twists, lots of excitement, but it is served slowly and very deliberately so. Which turns the last episodes into solid nail-biting thrillers, because by now you finally begin to understand how deep the rabbit-hole runs (one of the main characters is named Alice and that is obviously no coincidence).

If this doesn't get a 2nd season, I will be, in the words of Prince Humperdinck: "Very. Put. Out."

But I don't hold my breath. To my surprise and utter delight, Severance got renewed, but judging from the reviews Constellation doesn't have the same impact and is probably a bit too brainy for it's own good.

I will add Peter Harness to my ever-growing list of writers I will have to kidnap and torture in order to find some kind of closure...

Part 1 kept me glued to my chair for 2 and a half hours. I am a big fan of the source material and I was blown away by what Villeneuve did with it. Expectations for Part 2 were high and oh my, did he deliver...

This one is 15 mins longer but if it were 5 hrs I wouldn't have minded a bit. A lot has been said already on the strong points of the movie and I will not repeat them. There is also criticism and all I can say is, I get it. I didn't see any weak points at all myself, but I acknowledge that some people won't like the visual style, the narrative or the way it is brought to screen. If any of these things bother you, I won't judge you. All I can say is that personally, I want to be buried in this film. Villeneuve did with Dune what Peter Jackson did with Lord of the Rings: the impossible. He visualised what was thought to be unfilmable. And arguably, he even did a better job than Jackson (blasphemous thought, I know, but there it is). What made all the difference (in both these cases) is the unrelenting vision of the director. Jackson is a fan of the source material and he wanted to do it justice. Villeneuve went a step further. Not only is he a fan of the source material, he used the opportunity to make a film that is actually MORE true to the source material than the source material itself! Frank Herbert was disappointed that his intentions were misunderstood by most readers in the sense that Paul was seen as the obvious hero, instead of a false messiah. Villeneuve's interpretation is more clear on that part than the book, a change that would certainly be approved by the author if he were still alive.

But this is what makes me very, very afraid of what is to come. Dune Messiah was Frank Herberts remedy for the first book. It hammered the point home that Paul is not a saint but a conqueror. It's a devastating end to Paul's saga and as people who read it may remember, it also ends in a devastating tragedy for the main characters.

Villeneuve will do the 3rd movie, we already know that. He will bring the second book to screen and that is absolutely a.m.a.z.i.n.g. News. Because by now, we all know he will do the story justice, even if the studio will not want him to. Because let's face it: if he tells the story truthfully, on paper that should be the end of the franchise. That is what haunts me. The incredible prospect of the 3rd movie that is now a certainty and the fear that it will be the last.

The 3rd book (Children of Dune) is the redeemer of the 2nd. It's weird, strange and yet compelling but also seemingly impossible to visualise. Who will do this if not Denis Villeneuve? More importantly: who will DARE this if not Denis Villeneuve?

And, further down the line: who will ever give us the God Emperor (book 4)?