And by friends I mean absolutely committed sci-fi nerds.

Okay, so this one is zero nerd-culture-mainstream. Dune is “Watched every episode of Stargate, read Space Operas by the dozens, know the entire freakin history of Star Wars AND Star Trek and can recite them all by heart and don’t even consider Episodes 1-3 to be actual Star Wars cannon,” sci-fi nerd. It’s not better, but it is its own category.

If you’ve read the book, it’s kind of the origin of sci-fi. The first fifty pages at least are just world building. There are multiple languages represented and George Lucas got many of his ideas from it, including the sarlacc who “slowly digests people over a thousand years.” Don’t think about it too long.

The other thing that happens if you’ve read the book is you know it’s that the movie will be very world-buildy and slow and cerebral. Just ask the tiny-brained teenagers sitting behind us who did not shut up the entire first hour and a half. It’s a thinker.

What I loved:

World building. Loved it. This world is rich and multi-dimensional and full of space magic and space languages. Cool. Big thumbs up. I am in the above category of nerdy, by the way.

The actors are brilliant. Timothee Chalamet is one of the all time best. I would watch a basketball movie if he was the main character…that’s how much I like him. Zendaya isn’t in it as much as they hype her to be. She has a much bigger role in part 2. (Yes. There’s two parts. There is no way to tell a story even remotely resembling Dune in one movie.)

Jason Mamoa gets his own paragraph. For obvious reasons.

The LANDSCAPE! Oh my word! Stretches and stretches of desert. I don’t know why it’s so beautiful to me, but it took my breath away.

Things I disliked and/or hated:

Gross bad guys. I’m extremely forgiving of violence, raging tempers, subterfuge, murder, whatever guys. You do you. Disgustingness? No. I’m out. I hate it and feel it’s unwatchable. Why directors do this and writers write it is beyond my scope.

Tiny-brained teenagers talking through quiet parts. Look 16 year old boys, if your girlfriend can’t shut up during a YouTube video, she prolly can’t watch Dune. Just leave her home. Better yet, both of you stay home, with your parents and learn how to behave like humans.

That’s it. It’s for real sci-fi. Lots of fun for crazy people who were picked on as small children and possibly even now.

You’ll love it.