SPIDER-MAN : BRAND NEW DAY - Tuesday 4th August 2026.

I saw the M Rated 'SPIDER-MAN : BRAND NEW DAY' this week, and this American Superhero film is based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man and is the 38th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). It is the fourth instalment in the MCU 'Spider-Man' series following 'Spider-Man : Homecoming' in 2017, 'Spider-Man : Far From Home' in 2019 and 'Spider-Man : No Way Home' in 2021. These first three films, all starring Tom Holland as the web-slinging hero, grossed a total US$3.94B at the global Box Office off the back of combined production budgets of US$535M. This instalment is Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton who made his feature film debut with 'I Am Not a Hipster' in 2012, and which he would follow up with the likes of 'Short Term 12' in 2013, 'The Glass Castle' in 2017, 'Just Mercy' in 2019, and 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' in 2021 - also an MCU offering. This film is part of the MCU's 'Phase Six' which began with 'The Fantastic Four : First Steps' released in mid-2025. 'Spider-Man : Brand New Day' had its Premiere in Los Angeles on 27th July and was released in the US, here in Australia and all major territories last week. The film has garnered generally positive reviews from critics and has grossed US$1.18B at the global Box Office off the back of a US$225M production budget becoming the second-highest opening weekend gross of all time worldwide, the highest opening weekend gross of all time in the USA and Canada, and the highest grossing film of 2026 to date. 

Following Dr. Stephen Strange's spell at the end of the last instalment - 'Spider-Man : No Way Home', the world has forgotten that Peter Parker (Tom Holland) exists. Four years later, Parker anonymously protects New York City but has deliberately distanced himself from those he used to know and love. This self imposed seclusion also extends to his former girlfriend Michelle 'MJ' Jones-Watson (Zendaya) and his best friend Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon). Later, while speaking on his mobile phone to NYPD Detective Jean DeWolff (Liza Colon-Zayas), Parker intercepts a message about a tank running amok through the city streets heading for the Department of Damage Control (DODC) building. The driver had been telepathically possessed, and the telepath is able to body hop from person to person to help Mac Gargan (aka Scorpion [Michael Mando]), an enhanced criminal Parker previously captured, to escape. Parker enquires with Yelena Belova (aka Black Widow [Florence Pugh]) at a city bathhouse she uses as her office, who tells him someone has repeatedly attacked the DODC in search of 'V-Max'. Parker questions DODC director Bill Metzger (Tramell Tillman) at his office, who claims to have no knowledge of this V-Max.

Parker meets with Ned and MJ, who have moved back to New York after graduating from MIT at a house warming party in MJ's apartment, but fail to recognise him. Parker returns home distressed, and wakes up the next morning with heightened senses and organic webs coming out of his wrists. He tracks down Gargan, now possessed by the telepath, who tries to break back into the DODC. The telepath mocks him, and Parker reacts with uncharacteristic violence, brutally beating Gargan and inadvertently injuring a responding Police Officer. 

Hoping to control his new mutations, Parker visits Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) to enquire about the inhibitor device that uses siRNA to control his alter ego, the Hulk. On Banner's suggestion, Parker makes his own inhibitor to limit his powers, while also working on a second 'universal inhibitor' to suppress the telepath's abilities. Before Parker can finish, the telepath finds him and, after learning about MJ, possesses her and tricks Parker into revealing his true identity. 

After the telepath leaves MJ, Parker takes her to Frank Castle's (aka Punisher [Jon Bernthal]) hideout to keep her safe. With Castle's equipment and MJ's insight, Parker completes both inhibitors, and discovers that the telepath is named Jean Grey (Sadie Sink). When Jean attacks the DODC again, this time in person and using a possessed Hulk, Parker subdues her using his universal inhibitor, and turns her over to the DODC. Before losing consciousness, Jean mentions someone named Sara. 

Metzger claims that Sara is a recently deceased colleague Jean learned about while possessing his mind. When Parker returns to Castle's hideout, MJ confronts him with the letter she found but which he never delivered, that Parker had written for her and Ned to explain the spell that erased their memories. He explains himself and declares his love for MJ, but she responds that she does not know him and therefore does not love him. Despite this, she invites him to her apartment, where they and Ned spend time bonding.

After hearing MJ recount how she is unable to remember anything while being telepathically possessed, Parker realises that Metzger lied to him. He contacts Yelena, who learns from redacted DODC files that Sara (Olivia Booth-Ford) is Jean's sister, another telepath who was kidnapped by the DODC. Metzger meanwhile has begun experimenting on Jean's mind, as she realises 'V-Max' is the fading text on the label on the air conditioning vent above the holding cell, the last thing Sara saw before she died. Enraged, Jean psionically locks the area around her for a radius of about a mile from where she sits. 

Parker, who is still resistant to her abilities, enters the DODC to stop her. Jean rebuffs him and possesses a large group of the Hand ninjas, who have been working for the DODC. Initially overwhelmed, he removes his inhibitor and embraces his mutations, using his new abilities to defeat the Hand. Parker allows Jean to enter his mind, where she finds a memory of his aunt May (Marisa Tomei), who accepted his abilities and loved him for himself. Parker offers Jean understanding over her loss and shields her from Castle, who tries to shoot her from outside using a long range rifle, sustaining a near-fatal wound.

Parker wakes up in the hospital with Castle, who explains that Jean kept him alive while in critical condition. From his hospital bed he sees that the walls are adorned with get well soon wishes from his legion of fans, many of which have also gathered outside the hospital to catch a glimpse of their superhero. In the aftermath, a guilt-ridden Jean quietly leaves the city, Metzger disappears, and the DODC comes under investigation. Parker, placing fresh flowers beside his Aunt May's gravestone, vows he does not need to be alone to be Spider-Man. Seeing Ned again, he introduces himself using their old handshake, a gesture which Ned reciprocates and acknowledges his old friend simply saying 'Peter?' 

With 'Spider-Man : Brand New Day' Director Destin Daniel Cretton has delivered us a MCU instalment that doesn't feel as convoluted, over paced, chock full of otherworldly CGI or has many of us suffering from Superhero fatigue. Instead what we have here is a story of loneliness, isolation, emotion, charm, wit, energy, drive and the obligatory well executed action sequences that all add up to an enjoyable night at the movies. Tom Holland has matured and settled into the role in this his fourth outing as your friendly neighbourhood webslinger, who inhabits his character with conviction and who wears his heart well and truly on his sleeve. Zendaya and Jacob Batalon as returning MJ and Ned respectively all add an emotional depth to this film perhaps not seen in previous outings, Jon Bernthal as the Punisher adds a brutal and at times comedic interlude to the proceedings and Sadie Sink as Jean Grey the antagonist turned protagonist lands a grounded performance and I'm sure we'll see her again in future MCU offerings. Overall, its not surprising to see the Box Office receipts for this film or the largely positive critical press, and maybe, just maybe, this film will revitalise the recently flagging MCU.

'Spider-Man : Brand New Day' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.  

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

THE ODYSSEY : Tuesday 21st July 2026.

I saw the M Rated 'THE ODYSSEY' in an almost full house at a 70mm screening at my local independent movie theatre this week. This epic fantasy action film is Written, Produced and Directed by Christopher Nolan, who I'm sure requires no introduction, suffice to say his prior screen credits include his 1998 feature debut with 'Following' which he would follow up with the likes of 'Memento' in 2000, the Batman 'Dark Knight' trilogy from 2005 until 2012, 'Inception' in 2010, 'Interstellar' in 2014, 'Dunkirk' in 2017, 'Tenet' in 2020 and 'Oppenheimer' in 2023. This film is an adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic poem the 'Odyssey', that together with his 'Illiad' are regarded as the foundational works of ancient Greek literature. With a production budget estimated to be in the region of US$250M, the film is among the most costly of Nolan's career, and the first to be shot entirely on IMAX's 70mm film cameras. The film saw its World Premiere screening in London earlier this month, went on worldwide release last week, has so far grossed US$346M at the global Box Office and has garnered universal critical acclaim.

Ithaca has for many years been without its King Odysseus (Matt Damon), who disappeared following the Trojan War with seemingly no one aware of his whereabouts or if he even still lives. Many suitors, including nobleman Antinous (Robert Pattinson), actively court Odysseus's wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) to claim the throne from Odysseus and Penelope's son Telemachus (Tom Holland). Only Penelope, Telemachus, and half-blind and faithful servant Eumaeus (John Leguizamo) still believe Odysseus will return some day. 

Telemachus plans to travel with his teacher and bodyguard, Odysseus's friend Mentor (Ryan Hurst), to meet with Menelaus (Jon Bernthal), the King of Sparta, in an attempt to learn of his father's location. Antinous learns this from his lover, Penelope's handmaid Melantho (Mia Goth). He conspires with other suitors to kill Telemachus upon his return and plunder Ithaca. Menelaus and his wife Helen (Lupita Nyong'o) speak uncertainly about Odysseus's fate and can only offer Telemachus stories about him. Rumours are rife that the Greek civilisation is in decline due to attacks by murderous 'people from the sea' who do not abide by Zeus's law, by showing mutual respect between guests and hosts.

After leaving Ithaca, Odysseus and his small flotilla of Greeks land on the shores of Troy, plotting to breach its walls. After ten years, Odysseus devises a plan to hide inside a large wooden horse to sneak into Troy, with Sinon (Elliot Page) left behind to present the horse as a gift. Sinon is killed, but the deception succeeds. Under cover of darkness, the Greeks open the gates for Menelaus's older brother, Agamemnon (Benny Safdie), to attack Troy without mercy and retrieve Helen. Agamemnon and Menelaus return home early, while Odysseus's army, including second-in-command Eurylochus (Himesh Patel), follow a slower route. 

When searching an island for supplies, they follow a herd of sheep and become trapped in a cave by a Cyclops , who feasts upon several of the soldiers over the following days. Eventually, they blind  Cyclops Polyphemus (Bill Irwin) and escape, only to hear him cry out to his father Poseidon. Odysseus's crew deduces that the Cyclops is a son of Poseidon, and attribute the rough sea conditions they endure as a curse. They then land on Aeaea, where giant armour clad Laestrygonians kill most of their crew. The survivors mutiny, leaving Odysseus with their ship as they seek food with the witch Circe (Samantha Morton), who turns them into pigs. After killing a deer transformed from a man, Odysseus persuades her to change his men back. Circe warns Odysseus that to reach Ithaca, he must cross Oceanus into Hades.

Arriving in the blackened landscape of Hades, Odysseus meets the shade of Tiresias (James Remar), who predicts that, by divine will of the Gods, only Odysseus will return home, but Odysseus defies this. Odysseus also encounters Sinon's shade, who rebukes Odysseus for using him as a pawn, and reveals Antinous's treachery, as he was manipulated into taking Antinous's place in the Greek army. Lastly, Agamemnon's shade reveals that his wife Clytemnestra (Lupita Nyong'o) murdered him upon his return, as revenge for sacrificing their young daughter to Artemis for calm seas. The ghosts of Odysseus's fallen army then chase the survivors from Hades. Following Tiresias's guidance, Odysseus, Eurylochus, and various crewmen survive encounters with Charybdis, Scylla, and the Sirens. 

On Thrinacia, Odysseus warns his men not to kill the cattle of the Sun God, as Tiresias foretold Odysseus's men would die from doing so. Despite this, the starving men eventually slaughter a cow and feast on it late at night. When they try to escape the island, Poseidon's storms sink the ship, killing all but Odysseus. He washes ashore on Ogygia, where the nymph Calypso (Charlize Theron), infatuated with him, drugs him with amnesia-inducing lotus flowers.

Some seven years later, Calypso feels pity for Odysseus's longing for his family, and aids him in remembering his past life and exploits. She then advises Odysseus to construct a makeshift raft and give himself over to the sea, facing Poseidon's punishment. He miraculously washes ashore in Ithaca, and learns from Eumaeus that suitors sent mercenaries posing as priests to assassinate Telemachus and Mentor at a temple. Mentor dies, but Odysseus rescues Telemachus and kills the assassins, calling himself 'Sinon'. Telemachus guides Odysseus to the palace. After Odysseus's old dog Argos recognises him, Argos peacefully dies, and Telemachus recognises Odysseus as his father. 

During a tense feast, Odysseus shows Antinous he knows Antinous betrayed Sinon. Antinous thrashes Odysseus before Penelope intervenes. After the meal, still disguised, he confesses to Penelope his guilt for violating Zeus's law, killing innocent Trojans, and desecrating Athena's statue after killing her priestess. Athena (Zendaya) had assumed the priestess's form to punish him in visions. He further reveals that the rumoured attackers from the sea were in fact the Greeks themselves, and begs Penelope's forgiveness. Penelope announces her readiness to remarry and instructs the suitors to come to the palace the following night.

The next evening with the suitors all gathered in the palace, Penelope declares she will marry whoever can string Odysseus's bow and shoot an arrow through a row of axe heads. The suitors all fail, only for Odysseus to meet the challenge, and so revealing his identity. The hall erupts in to a closely fought battle, with Odysseus slaying the challenging suitors. Melanthius (Logan Marshall-Green), Melantho's brother, attempts to arm the men through a hole in the ceiling, only for Telemachus to confront and kill him. As the remaining suitors surrender, Odysseus kills Antinous. Odysseus relinquishes his throne to Telemachus and leaves Ithaca with Penelope to seek peace in exile, sailing west to honour his dead soldiers. The pair expect civilisation's renewal, and surmise that time will forget Odysseus's errors of judgement.

Whatever your opinion is of 'The Odyssey' you can rely on Christopher Nolan to give the script, the production values, the cast, the cinematography and the technical wizardry his all to deliver the audience another epic tale writ large in every respect. Nolan deftly brings Homer's 3,000 year old Greek poem to life in all its mythological, gritty, emotional and breathtaking storytelling, that together adds up to a film that is greater than the sum of its parts, even if he has had to take some poetic license to commit this story to film. The cast are all on point, with particular nods to Damon, Hathaway, Holland and Pattinson. My only gripe is that the American accents grate just a little, and some of the language used is too 20th/21st Century to be relatable. That said, this film needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible, and this epic story is a must see even if it's the only movie you see at the Odeon this year - you won't be disappointed, and even at its run time of just shy of three hours you're sure to be engrossed for the duration. See if you spot the nod to a classic late 1960's film.

'The Odyssey' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

SPIDER-MAN : NO WAY HOME : Tuesday 21st December 2021.

'SPIDER-MAN : NO WAY HOME' which I saw at my local multiplex last week, is the eagerly anticipated M Rated American Superhero film based on the Marvel comics character Spider-Man and is the follow up to 2017's 'Spider-Man : Homecoming' and 2019's 'Spider-Man : Far From Home' and is again Directed by Jon Watts. This film is the 27th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is the fourth film in Phase Four of the MCU following 'Black Widow', 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' and 'The Eternals' with 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' coming next in May 2022 followed by a string of others through 2023. This film saw its World Premier screening in Los Angeles on 13th of this month and was released worldwide later that same week having so far grossed US$1.05B off the back of a production budget of US$200M and has garnered generally positive critical acclaim. A sequel is already in development.

After Peter Parker's (Tom Holland) identity as Spider-Man was exposed by Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) at the end of 'Spider-Man: Far From Home' with J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) the Executive Reporter of the sensationalist news website TheDailyBugle.net who is provided a doctored video exposing Spider-Man's identity prompting him to broadcast it to the entire world. He frames Parker for the attack on London, claiming Mysterio as a hero, and Spider-Man as a murderer. Needless to say Parker's life and Spider-Man's reputation are turned upside down. Parker, his girlfriend M.J. (Zendaya), best friend Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon) and his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) are arrested without charge and interrogated at the Department of Damage Control. Lawyer Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) is able to wrangle Parker out of any charges as the group wrestle with the negative worldwide publicity that has been thrown their way. Meanwhile, Parker, M.J. and Ned are eagerly awaiting the results of their applications to M.I.T. and when they arrive in the post they all convene at the cafe where M.J. works to open their envelopes at the same time. Needless to say, all three are rejected on the grounds of the negative publicity surrounding them which the university doesn't want to get entrenched in. 

Down but not out, Parker visits Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) at the Sanctum Sanctorum and asks for his help, in creating a spell that will make the world forget that Parker is Spider-Man. Reluctantly, Strange agrees and sets about casting his magic. However, during the process, Parker repeatedly interrupts by asking for exceptions that should include M.J., Ned and Aunt May and a few others to be precluded from forgetting. This causes the spell to become corrupted, but thankfully, Strange is able to contain it. Parker leaves, believing that nothing has happened. 

Parker decides to track down the M.I.T. Administrator who is on her way to the airport, at the suggestion of Stephen Strange to simply have a conversation and ask her to reconsider M.J.'s and Ned's applications as they were only innocent bystanders in the recent events that brought them all to this point. Stuck in traffic, Parker is suddenly attacked by Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina). Octavius tears open Parker's nanotechnology Iron-Spider suit which in turn links up with his own mechanical octopus tentacles which gives Parker the opportunity to take control and disable them. Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe) then arrives and also attacks. Strange teleports Parker back to the Sanctorum and does the same with Octavius only locking the latter in a cell next to Curt Connors aka The Lizard (Rhys Ifans). Strange tells Parker that the corrupted spell briefly allowed people from other universes who know Spider-Man's identity to enter our own, and as a consequence orders Parker, M.J., and Ned to locate and capture them to minimise the harm they are likely to cause. 

Parker captures Max Dillon aka Electro (Jamie Foxx) and Flint Marko aka Sandman (Thomas Haden Church) as Osborn reclaims control of himself from his alter-ego Green Goblin persona. Osborn goes to a F.E.A.S.T. (Food, Emergency Aid, Shelter and Training) building, where May comforts him before Parker retrieves him. While discussing their previous battles with Spider-Man, Osborn, Octavius, and Dillon come to realise that they were pulled from their universes just before their deaths at Spider-Man's hands. Strange prepares a spell that will send the villains back to their own universes, but Parker counters that they should first cure the villains' powers to avoid them dying when they return. Parker steals the boxed spell, and following a foot chase in the Mirror Dimension in which Parker successfully traps Stephen Strange takes the villains to Happy Hogan's (Jon Favreau) apartment with Aunt May. There, using Stark Industries hi-tech, Parker is successful in curing Octavius, but Osborn's Goblin alter-ego takes control and convinces the uncured villains to betray Parker. As Dillon, Marko, and Connors all escape, Osborn and Spider-Man fight with the latter coming off worse. Osborn fatally injures May, who in her dying breath says to Parker that 'with great power, there must also come great responsibility' before succumbing to her injury. Parker is distraught at the death of his beloved Aunt. 

Ned discovers he can create portals using Strange's sling ring, which he and M.J. use in an attempt to locate Parker. They find 'Peter-Two' (Tobey Maguire) and 'Peter-Three' (Andrew Garfield), alternate versions of Parker who were summoned from their respective universes by Strange's spell. Ned and M.J. locate Parker and comfort him while the other Parkers share stories of losing loved ones. They encourage Parker to fight in May's honour. The three Parkers develop cures for the villains and coax Dillon, Marko, and Connors to the Statue of Liberty, where Peter-Two and Parker cure Marko and Connors. Octavius arrives to help and cures Dillon.

Ned frees Strange from the Mirror Dimension where he had been trapped for twelve hours, just as Osborn arrives and destroys the boxed spell, rupturing the barrier between universes. While Strange tries to maintain the barrier, an enraged Parker attempts to kill Osborn this time gaining the upper hand, but Peter-Two stops him. Peter-Three and Parker inject Osborn with his cure, so restoring his sanity. Parker realises the only way to protect the multiverse is to erase himself from everyone's memory and requests that Strange do so, promising M.J. and Ned that he will find them again. Strange casts the spell returning everyone to their respective universes and wiping everyone's memory of Parker in his universe. Two weeks later, Parker visits M.J. and Ned at the cafe to reintroduce himself, but thinks better of it. While mourning at May's grave, he has a conversation with Hogan who doesn't recognise him, but as a consequence is inspired to carry on. He moves into an apartment, makes a new Spider-Man suit and jumps out the window continuing with his web-slinging superheroics, just as J. Jonah Jameson beams over the airwaves that Spider-Man hasn't been seen for three weeks now and that he should come forward and reveal his true identity. 

Watch out for the mid-credits sequence featuring Eddie Brock aka Venom (Tom Hardy) and the end credits scene featuring a brief clip from 'Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness' due in cinema's in May 2022. 

'Spider-Man : No Way Home' deserves all the critical praise that is being bestowed upon it, and at in excess of US$1B at the global Box Office deserves to be the highest grossing film of 2021. Here Jon Watts has assembled a film that is chock full of heroes and villains, an impressive ensemble cast, large scale action, moments of laugh out loud humour, sharp dialogue, romance, emotion, grief and visual effects that very successfully pull together three Spider-Man franchises into one very satisfying well rounded conclusion. Here we see a grown-up more mature Peter Parker who is more willing to accept the consequences of his actions and take ownership of the end result, whilst still sharing a laugh and joke with 'Peter Two', 'Peter Three' Stephen Strange and Doc Ock in genuine heartfelt moments. Benedict Cumberbatch and Willem Dafoe add weight to an already impressive line up of acting talent. With a follow-up film already in development, who knows where the franchise will take us next, and even if Tom Holland will feature, but you can be sure that this will be a tough act to follow. My only criticism, and it's a small one at that, is that at a run time of two and a half hours, it could have been trimmed by fifteen minutes at least me thinks. That said, fans of the franchise certainly won't be disappointed. 

'Spider-Man : No Way Home' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

DUNE : Tuesday 7th December 2021.

'DUNE' which I saw at my local independent movie theatre this week is an M Rated American epic Sci-Fi film Directed, Co-Written for the screen and Co-Produced by Denis Villeneuve whose previous feature film offerings take in 'Incendies' in 2010, 'Prisoners' in 2013, 'Sicario' in 2015, 'Arrival' in 2016 and 'Blade Runner 2049' in 2017. This film is based on the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert and is the first instalment in a planned two part adaptation with 'Dune : Part Two' now slated for an October 2023 release. Originally scheduled for a late November 2020 release, the film was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, instead having its World Premier at the Venice International Film Festival on 3rd September this year ahead of its international release in mid-September. It was then released in US cinemas and streaming on HBO Max on 21st October, and went on general release in Australia only last week. The film has so far generated largely positive critical acclaim and has so far grossed US$383M off the back of a US$165M production budget. 

Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) of House Atreides, the ruler of the planet Caladan, is assigned by the Emperor of the Universe Shaddam Corrino to replace House Harkonnen as fief rulers of the planet Arrakis. House Harkonnen have presided over Arrakis for the past eight hundred years and so this news comes as a bitter disappointment to them needless to say. Arrakis is a harsh desert planet and the only known source of 'spice' in the universe, a valuable substance that bestows its users greater vitality and expanded consciousness. It is also critical for interstellar travel as it allows Spacing Guild Navigators to use a limited form of foresight to safely navigate through interstellar space. The reality is however, that Shaddam is scared and jealous and intends to have House Harkonnen stage a violent and bloody coup to retake the planet with the aid of the Emperor's Sardaukar troops, eradicating House Atreides once and for all, whose influence threatens Shaddam's control. Leto is reluctant but but can see the political advantages of controlling the spice planet and forming an alliance with its native population, skilled desert dwelling fighters known as the Fremen.

Leto's mistress Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) is a disciple of the Bene Gesserit, an exclusive sisterhood whose members possess advanced physical and mental capabilities. As part of their centuries-long breeding regime, the Bene Gesserit instructed Jessica to bear a daughter whose son would become a male Bene Gesserit, a messianic superbeing with the power of second sight necessary to guide humanity to a better future. Instead she gave birth to a son, Paul (Timothee Chalamet). Throughout his life, Paul is trained by Leto's aides, Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa), Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin), and the Mentat Thufir Hawat (Stephen McKinley Henderson), while Jessica trains Paul in the ways of the Bene Gesserit. 

Paul confides in Jessica and Duncan that he has recurring dreams of the future. Because of these dreams, the Emperor's Truthsayer the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling) visits Caladan and subjects Paul to a deadly test to assess his impulse control, which he passes. Mohiam instructs House patriarch Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) to spare Paul and Jessica during his coup on Arrakis, to which he responds that he, will not harm them. 

Some two weeks later, House Atreides arrives at Arrakeen, the fortress stronghold on Arrakis, where Duncan and an advance party have been learning all they can about the planet and the Fremen. It is unknown who remained on Caladan to oversee and protect the Atreides home planet in the meantime. Leto negotiates with the Fremen's chieftain Stilgar (Javier Bardem) and meets the Imperial ecologist and Judge of Change Dr. Liet-Kynes (Sharon Duncan-Brewster). Kynes informs Leto, Paul, and Halleck of the dangers of spice harvesting, including giant sandworms which can grow up to four hundred metres long and which travel under the desert sands and are attracted by vibrations and sounds on the surface. During a flight, they spot a sandworm approaching an active spice harvester with a stranded crew on board. Leto and his team rescue the workers with barely minutes to spare before the sandworm swallows the harvester. Paul's exposure to the spice-laden air triggers more intense visions of the future.

After an attempt on Paul's life by a Harkonnen agent, Leto places his army on high alert. Suk doctor Wellington Yueh (Chang Chen) disables Arrakeen's protective shields which allows Harkonnen and Sardaukar troops to overwhelm the Atreides forces, and ultimately destroy Arrakeen. Yueh incapacitates Leto and tells him he had no choice but to make a deal to deliver him to the Baron Harkonnen in exchange for freeing his captive wife. Yueh replaces one of Leto's teeth with a poison gas capsule and is killed by the Baron after delivering the Duke. As Leto lies naked in  chair at the end of a long table and in an incapacitated state he murmers, and the Baron leans in to listen. Leto bites down on the fake tooth and releases the poison gas, killing himself and members of the Baron's court almost immediately, but the Baron survives. 

Duncan escapes and steals an ornithopter (a flying machine with the body of a helicopter but the wings that oscillate rapidly like a dragon fly). Harkonnens soldiers capture Paul and Jessica and take them into the desert where they will be dumped to die. However, Paul and Jessica overpower and kill their captors using a Bene Gesserit ability known as 'the Voice', a means of controlling the actions of others through verbal commands. Finding a survival kit left for them by Yueh, Paul and Jessica spend the night in a tent, which by daybreak is buried under the sand. Paul experiences more dreams, this time of a 'holy war' raging across the universe in his name. The next morning, they make their way out of the buried tent and continue their journey in search of the Fremen.

The Baron, recovering from the poison gas attack, gives command of Arrakis to his over zealous nephew Glossu Rabban (Dave Bautista) and orders him to sell spice reserves while the price is still at a peak and restart production to recover the cost of the coup. Paul and Jessica are found by Duncan and Kynes and head to an old unused aquifer station but are quickly tracked by Sardaukar. Duncan and a number of the Fremen sacrifice themselves to allow Jessica, Paul, and Kynes to escape the aquifer on foot. Kynes separates and is ambushed by three Sardaukar soldiers, so she lures a sandworm by thumping with her fist on the sand. The sandworm duly arrives and quickly devours them along with her. Paul and Jessica escape in an ornithopter and fly through an 800kph sandstorm, ultimately crash landing deep in the desert. 

Running to a rocky outcrop they manage to evade a sandworm and there meet a group of Fremen, among them Stilgar and Chani (Zendaya), the girl seen by Paul's in his dreams. Fremen warrior Jamis (Babs Olusanmokun) protests their admission into thier encampment and is killed by Paul in a ritual duel to the death. Against Jessica's wishes, Paul insists on joining the Fremen to fulfil his father's goal of bringing peace to Arrakis, and preventing a holy war spreading across the universe in his name. 

'Dune' is an epic film in just about every sense of the term. From the stunning visuals, the action set pieces, the character development, the cinematography, the ensemble cast, the world building and the Hans Zimmer composed thumping soundtrack this ticks all the boxes and must be seen on a big cinema screen to truly appreciate the scale and spectacle of what Director Denis Villeneuve has delivered. At over two-and-a half hours in length, sure the movie lags in places but it moves along at a swift pace and never leaves you wanting, and whilst some critics have commented that it only covers half of Frank Herbert's novel, that is the Director's intention as the opening credit says 'Dune : Part One'. Aside for being a Sci-Fi spectacle for the ages and all ages, the film has emotional heft and delves into the human psyche as much as it does the grandeur of the set designs and the manner in which the action scenes play out. For a universe set some eight thousand years into the future however, one thing that left me scratching my head was why, oh why, with all their advanced technology, world building prowess and interstellar travel capabilities, do they still go into hand to hand battle with swords and daggers? Clearly, ours is not to reason why . . . ! Bring on 'Part Two'.

'Dune' warrants four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-