There was a good dozen times while watching Dune: Part Two that I thought to myself, “How does this movie even exist?” That’s not a slight, but the highest of compliments. Director Denis Villeneuve has somehow outdone himself on this one, delivering a movie that feels massive in scope, yet intimate and personal in its story. It feels like a big step forward from both a technical aspect and a narrative one. So yes, prepare for gushing. Dune: Part Two is amazing.

Dune: Part Two takes place not long after the ending of the first Dune, with Paul Atreides and his mother, Lady Jessica, crossing the desert with the Fremen, in hopes of winning them over to his side to avenge his father and his house, who were all killed in a secret attack that was executed by the Harkonnes but planned by the Emperor himself. That’s all I’ll really say about the story to avoid spoilers, but what I will say is that the story feels much more fulfilling and layered this time around. Dune: Part Two doesn’t have to worry about exposition and spends a lot more time on the characters as a result, who feel more layered and complex.

A lot of actors from the first film return, naturally Timothée Chalmet as Paul and Rebecca Ferguson as his mother, who both give more layered and complex performances for their characters. The script challenges the audience with these two in particular and both actors really dive into their roles. Zendaya and Javier Bardem are also back as Chani and Stilgar respectively, but this time with substantially bigger roles. A lot of the scenes with the Fremen are actually spoken in the fabricated language Chakobsa, so be prepared for some subtitles throughout. Just like the original book, there’s a lot of scenes with Paul and Chani as they develop their relationship over months of working together and the film actually dabbles with a more romantic tone in the first act. Josh Brolin also returns as Gurney while newcomers to the franchise include Austin Butler as the sadistic Feyd-Rautha, nephew to Stellan Skarsgärd’s Baron Harkonnen, Léa Seydoux as Lady Margot, a member of the Bene Gesserit, and Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, daughter to Christopher Walken’s Emperor Shaddam IV. Helping the actors get immersed in the world is the spectacular costume design. Seriously, this movie is going to get a lot of nominations at next year’s Oscars.

The first movie was criticized for abruptly ending and for feeling like half of a movie, but this movie feels likely simultaneously a complete experience while also enhancing the first one. When watched back to back (or as close to back to back as you can make it), you’ll be given a nearly six-hour completed story that allows Paul’s arc and the overall plot, with all its nuances, to really develop and flow nicely. But this one doesn’t feel like an act and a half, which the first one certainly did, making Part Two feel like a much more complete and tighter movie. It’s longer, at two hours and forty-five minutes with credits, but I didn’t feel any drag in the pacing, unlike the end of the first film. If you thought the first film was boring, I don’t think you’ll be saying that with this one, especially as it goes on; it’s paced very well. There was a jarring cut later on in the film, (keeping it vague), when Paul has to go drink something, but that’s the only flaw in the edit that I can think of, as it felt like there was a scene missing.

Much like the first film, the cinematography is one of the stars of Dune: Part Two. Shot by Greig Fraser (The Batman, Rogue One, The Creator), he’s quickly becoming one of my favourite DoPs of all time. Countless times I was transfixed by the visuals of this movie, which feel grounded in reality despite being a hard sci-fi tale. Shot primarily on location in Jordan and Abu Dhabi, the movie’s tangibility is bolstered by having so much practical footage that’s enhanced with sets and VFX. I’ll watch anything this guy films at this point, he’s on the same level as the great Roger Deakins as far as I’m concerned. The movie feels like we went to an alien world and filmed the events that happened, things I know are CGI like the ships, just feel real, as if they belong in the world barring one shot towards the end of the movie, which was jarringly video-gamey relative to the rest of the film. Coupled with the IMAX aspect ratio for the whole film you’re given a very immersive experience. The segment where we’re introduced to Feyd, in particular, is striking, with its bold black-and-white imagery being a standout in a film so orange and brown.

There’s also a lot more action in Dune: Part Two and it’s wildly epic and entertaining. There were shots and scenes towards the end of the film that invoked Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy in terms of scope and vision. And I think that’s an apt comparison, not just in the action department but for the scope of Villeneuve’s vision. These movies remind me a lot of Jackson’s films in the sense that they have the utmost respect for the source material, put a lot of care into adapting it, and clearly didn’t take any shortcuts or half-ass the production in any way while striving towards an epic film the likes which push the bar. There’s also a duel at the end of the film that was white-knuckle satisfying.

The only area I’d say the film didn’t wow me was the score. I enjoyed Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack for the first Dune, particularly the percussion and massive string and choir riffs, but nothing really in Part Two jumped out and registered with me. I thought that was a bit of a shame. It’s not bad by any means, it just didn’t strike me like the first one did, it’s far more nuanced and ambient. But the overall sound design was nuts, especially with the IMAX speakers, which caused the bassy vibrations to literally shake my core in one scene.

The film does set things up for Dune: Messiah to get adapted but also wraps up the story of the first Dune book. Villeneuve has already been at work writing the third movie which will only get greenlit if this film does well at the box office. He’s also stated he’s in no rush to film part three, as he may need a pallet cleanser before going back to Arakis, so he may do another film before a hypothetical Messiah. So, for the sake of getting a third entry and for seeing a great piece of cinema, go and see this movie. Dune: Part Two is another win for Villeneuve, who as one of the best working directors in Hollywood today, has successfully adapted Frank Herbert’s iconic book. Like Jackson before him, Villeneuve has taken blockbuster spectacle and mixed it with depth and character. A strong recommendation from me and surely a contender for best of the year come December.