At its height, taking in the massive expanse of Dune: Part Two feels like riding a giant worm with thrilling abandon. There's a victory in that sentiment resulting from such a jargony sci-fi epic. You know how they say they just don't make 'em like they used to? If Denis Villenueve has anything to say about it, they sure do, well, kind of.

Part Two is all about the union of excellence of craft (whether it be through sound, visuals, or emotion) with fiery thematic resonance. This may appear to be Paul Atreides's story but Villenueve subverts that surface-level identity with Chani's skeptical piercing blue eyes. Eyes that see through the almost fanboy-like wish fulfillment of the film's main character and realize the eeriness of his journey as a put-upon savior. For those who see along with her, Dune: Part 2 is unforgettably unnerving. What comes of all of that is a sensory experience where jaw-dropping is prompted both by it's action-driven grandeur of scale and by it's naked storytelling. In other words, it was worth the seemingly endless wait.

Notes:
- Shout-out to the person who left our screening to tell someone when our sound went fuzzy for a couple of minutes in the middle of the film. A true defender of cinema.