There are lots of little bits of subtle characterization and character-arc work in it to pick up on, though some of them require some connecting-the-dots and lateral thinking. Which, in a way, lets you, the viewer, play the role of a Dune character, picking out little hints and signs and extracting meaning.
This isn't to defend the movie if people find that this doesn't work for them (it may, indeed, be a failed effort—I don't know, I can't view it as a version of me who hasn't read the book and seen the two previous screen adaptations) but it does have a lot of character-building, much of it's just blink-and-you'll-miss-it or requires the viewer to take an extra step or two in their head to put it together.
I noticed the subtle bits but, personally, I doubt I would have been able to notice them in the first place, let alone extract much meaning from them, without being primed by the book.
This isn't to defend the movie if people find that this doesn't work for them (it may, indeed, be a failed effort—I don't know, I can't view it as a version of me who hasn't read the book and seen the two previous screen adaptations) but it does have a lot of character-building, much of it's just blink-and-you'll-miss-it or requires the viewer to take an extra step or two in their head to put it together.