Today’s quick review: Dune Drifter. After a disastrous space battle, pilot Yaren (Daisy Aitkens) and her gunner Adler (Phoebe Sparrow) crash-land their fighter on an inhospitable planet. There they set up a shelter, try to stabilize Yaren’s injuries, and activate a distress beacon in hope of rescue. But when it becomes clear that no help is coming, Adler must make a lengthy trek across harsh terrain to retrieve the parts they need to fix their ship.
Dune Drifter is a budget sci-fi survival thriller about a pair of combatants stranded on a distant planet. Dune Drifter has a solid science fiction core, with a clearly scoped story and ample opportunity for danger. Adler’s struggles to survive are desperate and just varied enough to keep the film moving forward. However, Dune Drifter’s craftsmanship leaves plenty to be desired, making the movie a rough watch that’s outclassed by its peers.
Dune Drifter has several qualities that make it hard to get through. The movie uses shrieking and brutal injuries to ratchet up the tension instead of using subtler, less abrasive techniques to set the mood. The visual storytelling is clunky, frequently making it hard to track what is going on. The sets, costumes, and special effects are all passable, but they show clear signs of the movie’s budget. The world-building is another missed opportunity.
The result is a science fiction movie with a serviceable plot but without the craftsmanship needed to make it engaging. Dune Drifter shows glimmers of potential in its competent plot structure and the challenges Adler has to overcome. But in the end, other movies deliver the same type of drama with fewer drawbacks, mastering the tonal balance and sense of creativity that Dune Drifter struggles with. Most viewers should steer clear.
For a tale of survival in space with a much richer setting, try Prospect. For a budget sci-fi movie with a similar premise and a more cluttered plot, try Alien Arrival. For a somewhat flawed but more heartfelt story about two survivors of a spaceship crash, try After Earth. For a more triumphant, technically detailed story of survival in space, try The Martian.
[3.3 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11835714/). I give it a 4.5 for a decent story with badly flawed execution.