When someone says something Muad’Dibphobic you gotta hit them with the Stilgar Stare. Needed to see this again so bad, I was itching for over three weeks straight to find the time to sit in the grand arena of IMAkis hanging out with my Fremen Friends as we follow Paul Usul Muad’Dib, prophesied Kwisatz Haderach by the Bene Gesserit, to Paradise, who is totally not leading us into endless years of war and tyranny. It’s honestly so interesting to see Dune become this cultural phenomenon over the past month; feels so cool to see such an excellent film get the attention and praise it deserves. While I could’ve killed to see this in 70mm IMAX (RIP Navy Pier IMAX), getting to see it in 70mm and IMAX separately was certainly sufficient enough.

Incredible film, to put it short. Dune: Part Two is a gigantic si-fi spectacle, through and through. In a string of years that has given us incredible Blockbusters, this film feels like what we’ve been leading to in of scope, scale, and ambition. I love Part One, but not only does Part Two complete that story in a very satisfying and fulfilling way, it ultimately makes Part One a better film; I’m thoroughly excited to watch both films back to back when I get the chance. One thing I took notice of this watch through was how sneaky the tone morphs overtime. There’s a lot of effective humor here, but it’s almost a red herring for the state our characters will be in by the end of the film. Stilgar’s character arc here is so incredible for this reason; at one point he’ll be a comedic relief character and then what we’ve been laughing at has been merely a vehicle towards a darker, more disturbing turn. The entire third act of this film is so excellent for this reason as well; it’s so dark and dour in ways you just don’t see in Hollywood Blockbusters. This review is pretty scattered and unfocused, because I’m with friends and I’m trying to not be that guy, so I’ll wrap it up my flustered thoughts here. Immaculate film, major in just about every way; barely falters in my eyes. Incredible acting, filmmaking, editing, and overall ambition. “The Movies Are Back” type cinema. Gonna go eat handfuls of Spice.