Your point about high expectations is a valid one. I think in objective discussion we can say that no novel is perfect. Dune has its flaws though I think 'ham-fisted' is a point of experience and perspective. Give me your particular set of experiences relating to the creation and production of media and I would probably think similar things about Dune. I'm still on the audience side of the curtain so I'm allowing myself to enjoy the smoke and mirrors and ignore the wire that's really making Peter Pan fly, full admission. And I think that in objective discussion we can say that Dune has had a pretty powerful impact on science fiction writing, writers and culture in general. (Pardon the quality of this link, it was the first I could find that had the full episode.) The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy had an episode that was a shot for shot of God Emperor of Dune, as one example. For that and tons of other influences, I think that Dune deserves better than Sting and fever dreams.