Yesterday evening, I think it’s fair to say that I was reminded why I love the cinema and think that film is best viewed on the big screen. Watching Dune Part Two last night with John blew my mind: I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more visually stunning film. As Mark Kermode says in his review, the cinematography is magnificent and really stands out. Notably for a science fiction epic set in space, this film takes place entirely on the planet Arakis. Unlike in the previous instalment, there aren’t any sweeping shots of stars, planets or space ships. Instead, we are treated to magnificent views of deserts, dunes, and people surfing on huge worms burrowing through the sand.

In terms of narrative, I have to say that it struck me as rather complex and hard to keep up with. To be honest I wish I had rewatched the first part before going to the cinema yesterday: this is a highly political text with a lot to say about religion, culture and power; it demands a lot of concentration and engagement. On the other hand it draws viewers in so that we become engrossed even if we can’t quite keep up with what’s going on: we are presented with cultures, characters and languages which seem to beg to be explored. Largely through the intriguing references the characters make to all kinds of fascinating places and concepts, you get the sense that there is much more to this narrative than what you have seen; an affect which George Lucas tried to emulate in Star Wars, but failed miserably.

You can probably say that Dune is to Science fiction what Lord Of The Rings is to fantasy. It is genre fiction at it’s best. I now can’t wait for the next instalment, of course, but I also think I need to rewatch the first two films plenty of times to make sure I get my head around what I’m being shown.