Had to find a copy of the theatrical cut in 4K and watch this again with some friends. An incredible, enthralling experience, absolutely unlike anything else out there. Stunned silence from our friends when it was over, who were just completely unable to process everything we all witnessed for a few minutes.
It reminded me a lot of classic mythology, in the sense that it’s telling an Odyssey-like story made up of small vignettes. When the climax arrives, it stands in stark contrast to what came before, and the established rules of the previous narratives no longer apply. The edge of the map has been found, and here be monsters. An incredibly smart structure for this sort of story.
I’ve never seen Redux or The Final Cut. I wouldn’t mind trying them out next time, although I worry they might slow down the pacing.