Over a year ago I speculated about Paul in general, specifically using Kyle MacLachlan’s portrayal. The Villeneuve Dune was releasing screenshots, jazzing up interest at that time. Then Covid hit and all productions and release dates slid. Now, though, it’s finally here and I’ve seen it. So, who is this version of Paul?
Well, he’s not a Nine, that’s for sure, lol. Chalomet’s Paul is more intense, more angry, more disturbed by visions. Whoa, Four? Isn’t that interesting! He’s a trained fighter but doesn’t have a love for it. He’s interested in the politics of Arrakis — “desert power”, as Leto says — but only because the Fremen culture captivates him. He disdains playing The Game. The Emperor and the Bene Gesserit, the levers of this universe, barely register for him.
And isn’t it curious that his visions of Chani mostly involve emotion? In reality when they meet, she’s impersonal and businesslike, helping him prepare for what she considers his inevitable death. Paul’s inner world is colored by connections: to Chani, his mother, and especially Duncan. It’s a Heart Type relationship. He spends much of the movie in quiet torment.
This Paul is no diplomat, as a Nine would be. He’s a vengeful angel, a conduit for a repressed people, the Fremen. In terms of dramatic potential in future movies, a Four Paul is an excellent choice.