George Miller’s Three Thousand Years of Longing is a stunning, yet admittedly overly ambitious, spectacle. In a lot of ways, it’s Aladdin on acid. And hey, that’s not a bad thing! The first thing that needs to be lauded is the film’s production design. The gorgeous visuals are almost hypnotic at times. Miller truly knows how to craft beautifully detailed worlds (look no further than Mad Max: Fury Road), and this is definitely no exception! The dream-like sights and sounds are surely the movie’s highpoint, while the story is a bit more of a mixed bag. You see, one of the main themes of the film is “storytelling.” And, ironically, there is just too much story to tell here. We get like 5 different tales about our genie (or djinn) and his new “master” Alithea. We see their past, we see their present, and we even go to the future. And at just under 2-hours, it’s a little too much to take in. That runtime might actually shock people after they watch it, because it feels so much longer. Luckily, everything is quite compelling. In fact, the movie wastes no time grabbing our attention and never lets go, something Miller is also a master at. Three Thousand Years of Longing truly is a unique viewing experience, one that will take you on many rides. It’s got LOTS to say, and even more to show. Is it perfect? Nope. Is it exceptionally different from the rest of the big-budget box-office fare out there? Absolutely. Looks like I got my wish.