In the second part of Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the classic sci-fi novel, Paul Atreides seeks revenge against the Harkonnens, who slaughtered most of his House Atreides, and liberate the native Fremen of the planet Arrakis while joining them and learning their ways, all while the fate of the Imperium lays in the balance.

The first Dune from 2021 may have been one of the most stunning blockbusters in recent memory, but this extraordinary sequel puts everything in its predecessor — and almost any action movie I’ve ever seen — to shame. Picking up shortly after the first film, the drama is heightened, the world-building is bombastic, and the sound and visual experience is a one-of-a-kind theater trip. Visceral is such an overused term these days that it wouldn’t do Dune: Part Two justice; you feel how wide this universe spreads and the history of the different conflicts and races that inhabit it. And once you’re brought into this fictional world, you’ll never want to leave, as the nearly 3-hour runtime flies by and every plot development is fascinating. Beyond Villeneuve’s imagination, Greig Fraser’s cinematography is the real MVP here. The beauty within the uncertainty of the desert planet is captured in such a scope that it demands in IMAX viewing, and the different planets all contribute a symbolic and gorgeous aesthetic. Timothee Chalamet takes us on the next step of Paul’s journey: his desire to adapt and fight and his fear of allowing power and faith to corrupt him. He proves that he’s always been a movie star that’s here to stay, and Rebecca Ferguson’s Lady Jessica also takes really interesting directions that make you see her role in the story, and of her son’s, in a murkier way. Zendaya also becomes a lot of the heart here as Chani, one of the franchise’s most noble characters, and Josh Brolin is always terrific as Gurney, while Javier Bardem puts his soul into the role of Stilgar, whose faith drives him towards Paul and Jessica. Austin Butler may be the standout, however, as Feyd-Rautha, whose deranged and sadistic presence create a nail-biting character and a powerful young man who has fully embraced his disturbed nature.

Though Dune: Part Two ups the ante with its visuals and performances, its the powerful script and heightened emotional stakes that make this experience what it is. The film explores questions as to how faith and hope can be exploited, and if the urge for power truly corrupts whoever gets a taste of it. Though you may find yourself trying to guess which paths these characters will take, there’s also lots of unexpectedness and the film’s most intense moments took my breath away. You understand so deeply the dynamics of this galaxy and its cultures, and how much lays in the balance. The exhilarating scale and exciting, constantly developing pace only works because of the passion behind each character and story thread: passion to lead, rule, fight, love, honor, avenge, or secure a future. These moral greys form the dark and poetic drama that’s impeccably guided by frame-worthy shots and booming sound. Never have I felt so deeply that I didn’t want a film to end, as once you’re sucked into this marvelous world by Villeneuve, you’ll never want to go home. We’ve rarely seen emotion and grandiose like this in action movies so flawlessly convert to a magnetic cinematic experience. The Empire Strikes Back comparisons are worthy but also a little humbling; this reaches the bar that The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King set for sci-fi/fantasy epics. It’s a show-stopping galactic saga that unleashes its ambition and magnitude onto you in a way that will entrance and thrill whoever buys a ticket. It’s a spectacle that sets the bar so high for whatever else is to come in blockbuster filmmaking, and like the unreal visuals and scale of Avatar: The Way of Water, needs to be seen on a massive screen, to be transported with other people, and watch a story unfold that you’ll never forget.