I would agree that Villeuneuve's film is visually striking and quite beautiful. Several shots in the film are quite memorable. However, this is Dune. Where is the Landstrad? Where are the Spice Navigators? The whole reason for the Duke being part of this plot against him is missing? You can't claim to be a story about Dune and leave out so many of the plot devices. It's like saying Gone With The Wind is a story about a southern girl and everything goes wrong for her... lots of visuals... none of the other characters matter... except maybe Rhett... oh, yeah... there's some kind of war going on. But more about that later.

Dune is more than just a series of sweeping shots with giant spaceships that dwarf people to specs. And the whole thing about the Duke's father being killed by a bull is some of the most superfluous information in the entire novel. It's as if Villeneuve is trying to re-write the story to his benefit... then you don't have Dune. You have something else.

There is a reason Jessica has Paul. There is a reason Paul knows what he knows. There is a reason Paul's small circle of friends are important. There is a reason the Emperor wants to diminish the Duke. There is a reason the spice Melange is so important. There is a reason the navigation guild is what they are and so dependent on the spice and that space travel isn't possible without them. There is a reason the societies are so militaristic. There is a reason the Bene Gesserit are so powerful and respected. And if you leave out all of these reasons and still claim to tell the story of Dune, then you've missed the whole point of the story. Yes, movies are a different medium. But the core story must be told. Otherwise, you have lots of pretty pictures with nothing to say and no reason for being there.