PrimeWire

The most fun (or depressing) part of these Asylum knockoffs is guessing whose acting “star” has fallen so much they’re willing to take a role in the film using their official (real or stage) name. Well, that and rolling your eyes at the attempt to name the movie so that it’s close enough to the blockbuster version that everyone knows which film it’s mimicking, but far enough not to get sued…Transmorphers, Atlantic Rim (hint: there IS no such thing), etc. It becomes kind of a game after a while.

The one exception is C Thomas Howell, who’s managed to carve out a niche as the lead in a lot of these movies. He’s a decent enough actor when he wants to be, so I figure he’s found that sweet spot where he gets a decent paycheck but doesn’t have to bring his A-game unless he wants to. That kind of freedom I have to respect. :)

This movie though, is exactly what it sounds like in its title…a low-budget knockoff of Dune with just enough changes to the plot that Frank Herbert’s estate can’t sue them. Or you could say, with just enough cheapness and bad acting to be called a parody of Dune, if you want to be particularly harsh. I expect it’ll earn the typical Asylum IMDB rating of 2-4/10 (I’d give it a 3, if only for the unintentional humor).