Due to the success of that Dune adaptation, Harrison was brought back to pen the second installment, Children of Dune. Based on the second and third novels in the popular series, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune, the film begins 12 years after Muad'dib (Alec Newman) defeated the evil Harkonnens and the Padishah-Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV. The Freman army of Fedaykin has taken control of the universe in the name of Muad'dib, who is now worshipped as a god.

Yet there is unrest in the universe, as well as on Arrakis, where ecological changes are taking place to transform the desert planet--changes that now allow water to flow and plants to thrive. Under the devious eye of Princess Wensicia Corrino (Susan Sarandon), rebellions are beginning to stir among the Fremen and plots are being developed to overthrow Muad'dib. One such plot is the gift of Duncan Idaho (Edward Atterton), a clone sent to infiltrate the throne and kill the religious leader. Yet the all-seeing ruler is not worried, for he has seen and accepted his fate.

The heart of the story falls with Maud'dib's children, Ghanima (Jessica Brooks) and Leto (James McAvoy), and his sister, Alia (Daniela Amavia). Alia's possession by her uncle, the Baron Harkonnen (Ian McNeice) falls in line with Princess Wensicia's schemes and the children, now young adults, must take it upon themselves to discover the truth of the Golden Path, a path that will save not only House Atreides, but also Arrakis and the universe.

Now directed by Greg Yaitanes, this Dune series has a production value that is much superior to its predecessor. Sporting 628 visual effects and shot in high definition, the miniseries looks amazing. Panoramic views of the cities, the spacecraft, the worms, and the blue eye effect all stand out as improvements. The effects have more depth and higher quality, which lends more credibility to the characters and their surroundings. Although the Laza Tigers (which are sent to kill Ghanima and Leto) look a little too cartoony and don't interact flawlessly with the human characters, the effects generally look much better than anything ever created for the small screen.

The colors and costumes in this second installment also look better. As opposed to bright reds and blues, Children of Dune features mostly browns and blacks. Therefore, the story a grittier, darker feel than the first.

Producers assembled a great cast for this series. Although many key characters are portrayed by different actors (for example, Stilgar is now played by Steven Berkoff, while Uwe Ochsenknecht played the Freman in the previous miniseries), I felt many of the characters had a stronger presence than the first go around. Particularly Alec Newman. He has grown into the role of Paul "Muad'dib" Atreides.

Children of Dune is very true to Herbert's books. However, many of the finer details were sacrificed to get to the core story. Although this speeds up the action, which is mostly political and dialog driven in nature, the lack of development leads to some confusion and, at times, a lack of compassion for the characters. The story is well paced but with so many plots within plots, and with so many people involved, it's impossible to understand them all without a more detailed background. Because of this, anyone who hasn't read the books might be at a disadvantage.

No adaptation of Dune can take the place of the novels. But with astounding visual effects, a solid cast, and a story that doesn't stray from the original novels, Children of Dune is a great companion piece that will thrill fans of the saga.

THE VIDEO
Artisan Entertainment presents Children of Dune in 1.77:1 anamorphic widescreen, with the first two hour-and-a-half segments on the first disc, and the finale on the second disc (along with the special features). Created in Hi-Def, the film looks great. So far, the Dune saga has been a feast of bright colors, and they appear solid and vivid here. Detail is sharp throughout, and shadows have nice depth.

On the down side, there were a few instances of halo effect in scenes with high contrast. However, these problems are kept to a minimum. Another issue is an odd shimmering effect associated with some visual effects shots. This is most evident on the surface of the starships and the great worms of Arrakis.

THE AUDIO
Children of Dune is presented in 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound. I was particularly impressed with the use of the low end. I could really feel the explosions and the deep hum of spacecraft. Although the rear channels come into play only sparingly, they are put to good use when necessary. Also, the music of Bryan Tyler really shines with this digital presentation.

THE BONUS FEATURES
The lack of special features in this two-disc set is really disappointing. After a wonderful, in-depth special edition of Dune, my expectations were, admittedly, a bit high. And rightfully so. There is a rich history behind what is considered by many as the greatest science fiction sagas ever written, and all fans will be looking to know more about the hows and whys of translating the words to the screen.

On tap are two special features, both found on the second disc. First is a making-of featurette, "Making Dune's Children: The VFX Revealed," that details the computer generated shots of the miniseries. Presented in anamorphic widescreen, the 13 minutes are filled primarily with interviews of the men behind the VFX shots. It's a decent featurette, but it left me wanting more. The second addition is a well done storyboard comparison of four clips from the film, also presented in widescreen.

It should be noted that the cool cover pictured above this review is not the cover of the disc set (which comes in a thin 2-disc amaray case). Instead, the actual cover has five character faces and looks almost silly.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Fans of the Dune books or the previous miniseries are going to love this film (but many will be disappointed at the lack of extras). Not only does it stick closely to Herbert's vision, it does so with better set design, costumes, and visual effects. Although it doesn't have the action of the original, the 266 minutes are well paced and entertaining throughout. Viewers who have not read the books might find it a little hard to follow, but I still recommend this DVD to all science fiction fans.