When fiction mirrors reality.

Iraq's huge oil wealth and strategic position within the Middle East ensured the country would be one of the most valuable parts of real estate in the world.

I’ve been a huge fan of the Dune series of books since 1990. I loved the original David Lynch film version from 1984, some of the special effects look pretty bad in 2022 but the acting was top notch and the characters had real depth.

Fast forward to 2021, and we got the Denis Villeneuve remake. While visually stunning, I felt the acting/characterisation was a bit flat compared to the 1984 version. Having said, that I loved the opening lines by Zendaya that could be heard at the beginning of the trailers for the remake. The film has a strong anti colonial feel to it and I felt it was analogous to situation with the 2003 Gulf War. The theme of foreign invaders plundering resources is a common thread that connects the film and the Western invasion of Iraq.

I thought it would be interesting to take the opening lines from the trailer and put it against a photo from the war. I think it fits quite nicely, what do you think?