Dune 2 vs Spaceman: One soars, the other sinks

TWO science fiction movies, released in the same week, show how the genre can transport you to other worlds to explore complex ideas about our present lives. When done right, it can serve as a reflection of our current social and political times. When done wrong, it can come off as just another expensive exercise in slapping special effects onto a barely believable storyline.

Dune: Part Two and Spaceman recently debuted within days of each other, in cinemas and on Netflix respectively. Both are based on acclaimed publications: The former is adapted from Frank Herbert’s 1965 book, and the latter is crafted from Jaroslav Kalfar’s 2017 novel Spaceman Of Bohemia. 

Both boast A-list Hollywood casts and directors, namely, Denis Villeneuve (of Arrival fame) and Johan Renck (of Chernobyl fame) respectively. Both also feature weird animals in supporting roles: Dune has giant sandworms that produce a powerful spice fought over by everyone; Spaceman has a talking spider that can look into your mind and manipulate your realities.

But the results couldn’t be more different. One soars into distant galaxies, while the other can barely get lift-off. One has drawn raves from critics and audiences alike; the other can’t even get a passing grade on the movie-review platform Rotten Tomatoes.

The major difference has less to do with budgets than that old chestnut of execution. Dune immerses you believably in an alien desert world governed by its own unique laws and customs, while Spaceman doesn’t even seem convinced by its own galactic logic.   

Dune: Part Two is the second instalment of Villeneuve’s faithful adaptation of Herbert’s seminal novel. While it condenses and streamlines the narrative to fit the length of the film, it remains true to the spirit of the original book.

Villeneuve excels in world-building, meticulously crafting the political, cultural and ecological landscape of the Dune universe in a visually coherent manner. The film explores issues of power, religion, ecology and destiny, providing depth and substance to a story that has immediate relevance to the headlines of today. Themes of occupation, resistance and struggle over territories and scarce resources instantly resonate with politically conscious audiences.

Spaceman, on the other hand, struggles to be relevant. Centred on a lonely astronaut (Adam Sandler) travelling through space to investigate a mysterious phenomenon, it delves almost exclusively on him missing his pregnant wife (an under-used Carey Mulligan) and regretting his failures as a husband.

Against the immense and spectacular backdrop of cosmic heavens, Spaceman chooses to be a small, self-absorbed soap opera about marital breakdown – a plotline that, incidentally, steals much from the complex sci-fi epic Solaris (1972). 

SEE ALSO

VR show whisks you away to fantastical world

IWD: Empowering songs from Taylor Swift and others

Whereas Dune: Part Two takes us to an alternate dimension only to hold a mirror to our flawed, fractious and feeble selves, Spaceman offers no new insight on human nature, choosing instead to wallow in sickening self-regret.

Dune: Part Two is showing in cinemas. Spaceman is streaming on Netflix.