This is the Dune you bring home from Walmart and your wife yells at you because you got the wrong one and your kids cry and she wonders why she married you. This is the Dune you buy at a gas station. This is the Dune that has Sean Young starring in it in 2021. This is the Dune that has prerendered CGI explosions and a red filter over everything and sandworms that would look better if they'd just film worms in actual sand. This is the Dune made by Glenn Campbell and not the one we called the Rhinestone Cowboy, riding out on a horse in a star-spangled rodeo, getting cards and letters from people he don't even know. This is the Dune that looks like people cosplaying. This is the Dune that has no mysticism or spice. This is the Dune that is Tremors. This is the Dune that made me question my life choices and why I can't sleep and why I'm up all night writing about a fake Dune when I could be sleeping and when I'm dead and buried, people won't be like, "Well, at least he gave us his all and wrote articles about fake blockbusters," they'll just say I wasted my potential. This Dune doesn't believe fear is the mindkiller. This Dune I actually watched.
49 Reviews
Go for the real deal, not this one.
frank-liesenborgs29 October 2021
Why do we have "planet Dune" after the fantastic movie "Dune". They are unrelated apart from the fact that the sandworms look similar and they have the word Dune in the title.
This is a waste of time. Bad acting and bad CGI. The plot and storyline is equally bad. The plot is very simple, predictable and just weird. A space crew on a mission to rescue colleagues on a marooned base on a desert planet turns deadly when the crew finds themselves hunted and attacked by the planet's apex predators: giant sandworms.
My recommendation: just watch "Dune" and even "Tremors" from 1990.
This is a waste of time. Bad acting and bad CGI. The plot and storyline is equally bad. The plot is very simple, predictable and just weird. A space crew on a mission to rescue colleagues on a marooned base on a desert planet turns deadly when the crew finds themselves hunted and attacked by the planet's apex predators: giant sandworms.
My recommendation: just watch "Dune" and even "Tremors" from 1990.
Science fiction for stupid people.
bbgeer2 November 2021
The studio should be ashamed to put this out there.
dleary6930 October 2021
Sean Young at her best, which isn't saying much. Her best role was probably the original Blade Runner. This movie, as I can't call this film or good cinema, should never have been made. It's a poor knock-off of the Dune films, but taken to the lowest level of quality entertainment for a science fiction movie. The story, if there really is one, is weak as are the performances by it's actors. I can't fault them as they were paid to act in this. The writers are to blame because it looked as though it took them a full lunch break to do the screenplay for this. The effects were weak, ineffective, and the story was so far from the Dune series, but trying to be like it, that it boggles the mind. This is Dune, but isn't! The Rubenesque Sean Young's acting should have been far better from all her years in Hollywood, but came across like a high school play during summer school break. Bringing the worm into the story further ruins this as it tries to emulate a good franchise with a no brand knock-off with a Hollywood actor to try to get viewers. Props to the other actors, they tried, but it was like watching a carpenter building a house with no hammer, nails, saw, or lumber! In a nutshell, you may have guessed that I didn't like this movie and you would be right. I read all the Herbert Dune books and this isn't part of it. Don't waste part of your life viewing this movie. Find a better one as there are many, new and older, that are in a class well above this trash.
Yup, another mockbuster from The Asylum...
paul_haakonsen29 October 2021
When I saw the cover/poster for this 2021 movie titled "Planet Dune", I immediately thought that it could be nothing else than a mockbuster from The Asylum. And yeah, of course I had to watch it on the odd chance that it would actually be an interesting enough movie.
And as it turned out then this was very much indeed a movie from The Asylum, of course it was. And yeah, it was of course a mockbuster. But it should be said, actually, that "Planet Dune" was one of the more interesting and watchable of movies from the sinkhole that is The Asylum. So "Planet Dune" was actually not on level with their usual rubbish.
Sure, this was blatantly a rip off of the Frank Herbert story and off of the 2021 movie "Dune". No doubt about it. In fact, writers Lauren Pritchard and Joe Roche weren't even bothering trying to disguise it as something else. This was just straight up a copy, for better or worse.
Now, the storyline in "Planet Dune" was pretty straight forward. Sure, it wasn't as grand as in the "Dune" movie, but it wasn't actually all that shabby when it comes to it. I was actually adequately entertained by what directors Glenn Campbell and Tammy Klein dished out in "Planet Dune".
Visually then "Planet Dune" wasn't all that bad. Sure, this was by no means top of the line CGI to rival Hollywood blockbusters, but it was fairly good for a movie by The Asylum. So it seems that the people at The Asylum are upping their game.
The acting performances in "Planet Dune" were fair. Nothing outstanding to be experienced here, though. But the actors and actresses did good enough jobs with their given roles. I wasn't familiar with a single performer on the cast list, however.
All in all, then "Planet Dune" is watchable, and actually among some of the more interesting and successful of movies from The Asylum.
My rating of "Planet Dune" lands on a five out of ten stars.
And as it turned out then this was very much indeed a movie from The Asylum, of course it was. And yeah, it was of course a mockbuster. But it should be said, actually, that "Planet Dune" was one of the more interesting and watchable of movies from the sinkhole that is The Asylum. So "Planet Dune" was actually not on level with their usual rubbish.
Sure, this was blatantly a rip off of the Frank Herbert story and off of the 2021 movie "Dune". No doubt about it. In fact, writers Lauren Pritchard and Joe Roche weren't even bothering trying to disguise it as something else. This was just straight up a copy, for better or worse.
Now, the storyline in "Planet Dune" was pretty straight forward. Sure, it wasn't as grand as in the "Dune" movie, but it wasn't actually all that shabby when it comes to it. I was actually adequately entertained by what directors Glenn Campbell and Tammy Klein dished out in "Planet Dune".
Visually then "Planet Dune" wasn't all that bad. Sure, this was by no means top of the line CGI to rival Hollywood blockbusters, but it was fairly good for a movie by The Asylum. So it seems that the people at The Asylum are upping their game.
The acting performances in "Planet Dune" were fair. Nothing outstanding to be experienced here, though. But the actors and actresses did good enough jobs with their given roles. I wasn't familiar with a single performer on the cast list, however.
All in all, then "Planet Dune" is watchable, and actually among some of the more interesting and successful of movies from The Asylum.
My rating of "Planet Dune" lands on a five out of ten stars.
I gave it a shot
ubdb-8508929 October 2021
Judging on the title I kinda knew what to expect.
And I was not disappointed ! ;) What actor has such low standards, or is so much job-hungry to actually sign in on this plot?
Save your self the effort and don't watch this low budget pulp.
I gave it an extra star for their effort though.
And I was not disappointed ! ;) What actor has such low standards, or is so much job-hungry to actually sign in on this plot?
Save your self the effort and don't watch this low budget pulp.
I gave it an extra star for their effort though.
Not what expecting (It's actually a movie)
noob-108-1224063 December 2021
Took me 10 mins to realise this wasn't Soft Porn, then walked out of my own lounge. Acting was so bad it hurt my soul and realised literally anyone can make a movie in 2021, as long as you have a smartphone and an Instagram following.
Do not recommend, in case that wasn't obvious.
Do not recommend, in case that wasn't obvious.
Can I say OMG
clight7729 October 2021
OMG
But They say I have to say more, but, but, but.
Just awful. Time I will never get back, I fast forwarded many times to get through.
Why did they even make this movie? Terrible acting throughout.
Watch at your own peril.
Just awful. Time I will never get back, I fast forwarded many times to get through.
Why did they even make this movie? Terrible acting throughout.
Watch at your own peril.
A three minute movie
bitbucketchip1 November 2021
You know what you're in for in the first three minutes: derivative plot, inane dialog, don't-quit-your-day-job actors trying their hardest but given nothing to work with, and "special" special effects. That said, this was better than most Asylum movies.
The lead actress portraying Astrid (not the top billed corpulent weirdo Sean Young) was passable. She looked familiar, perhaps from another Asylum effort? At any rate, she was a bit better than the others. The rest of the cast did an adequate job - with a few notable exceptions. They kept the movie interesting enough that I made it to the end. This was an accomplishment, since the plot was copied from Dune with a humorless nod towards Tremors.
Asylum movies have to be rated on a scale all their own. Given their trademark xeroxed plots, no name "actors", one marquee decades-past-their-prime-assuming-they-even-had-one former B-lister desperate for cash, incompetent direction, laughable special effects, continuity errors, Halloween costumes, two dollar budgets and so on, the best Asylum can hope for is 1 out of 10 when compared to professionally produced films. This was better than most excreted by Asylum, scoring 0.5, which is a 5 for an Asylum film. Five stars.
The lead actress portraying Astrid (not the top billed corpulent weirdo Sean Young) was passable. She looked familiar, perhaps from another Asylum effort? At any rate, she was a bit better than the others. The rest of the cast did an adequate job - with a few notable exceptions. They kept the movie interesting enough that I made it to the end. This was an accomplishment, since the plot was copied from Dune with a humorless nod towards Tremors.
Asylum movies have to be rated on a scale all their own. Given their trademark xeroxed plots, no name "actors", one marquee decades-past-their-prime-assuming-they-even-had-one former B-lister desperate for cash, incompetent direction, laughable special effects, continuity errors, Halloween costumes, two dollar budgets and so on, the best Asylum can hope for is 1 out of 10 when compared to professionally produced films. This was better than most excreted by Asylum, scoring 0.5, which is a 5 for an Asylum film. Five stars.
Shameless rip off
Adamanthe29 October 2021
It should have remained buried under tons of sand.
jonasatmosfera20 November 2021
The better way to describe this atrocity is to compare a picture of Sean Young in the 1984 Dune and a picture of her in this (sic) film. Of course, it would be very ungentlemanly for me to go into the details, but it was, let's say, a somewhat weird and enlightening experience.
Anyway, everything in this mixture of a dumpster fire with a train wreck is abysmally bad.
Planet Dune is one of those films made with pocket money collected from a few friends, a few coins found under the couch, written by high school dropouts and acted by "actors" who would not be able to act in a pre-school play.
I only wonder what made Sean Young be on it.... Maybe she is owing money to a loan shark, has some gambling debts, has an expensive addiction....who knows!
Anyway, everything in this mixture of a dumpster fire with a train wreck is abysmally bad.
Planet Dune is one of those films made with pocket money collected from a few friends, a few coins found under the couch, written by high school dropouts and acted by "actors" who would not be able to act in a pre-school play.
I only wonder what made Sean Young be on it.... Maybe she is owing money to a loan shark, has some gambling debts, has an expensive addiction....who knows!
A surprisingly fun experience
derpyrecaps18 May 2022
Yeah, another mockbuster.
nihildarn30 October 2021
I really don't get people complaining « this » is not Dune. Of course it is not. Seriously: the cover says it all.
About the movie. CGI effects range from correct to poor (especially the worms), acting is OK up to good for the main characters. Second roles can be bad, though.
All in all, I was entertained for an hour and half. So this is decent, even great if you consider the very low budget.
To me the weakness of this movie is in the story itself: some parts are not believable, some rushed when they need development. Sometimes the story seems to jumps from character to character randomly. The end fells like "OK we need to finish what we started... in five minutes." Oh, and there is a scene totally ripped off the real Dune: it is badly done and was unnecessary to the plot (but maybe necessary to maintain the mockbuster legend).
As I said, 90 minutes of cheap entertainment, if you know what to expect. Could have been better with the help of a good story writer.
About the movie. CGI effects range from correct to poor (especially the worms), acting is OK up to good for the main characters. Second roles can be bad, though.
All in all, I was entertained for an hour and half. So this is decent, even great if you consider the very low budget.
To me the weakness of this movie is in the story itself: some parts are not believable, some rushed when they need development. Sometimes the story seems to jumps from character to character randomly. The end fells like "OK we need to finish what we started... in five minutes." Oh, and there is a scene totally ripped off the real Dune: it is badly done and was unnecessary to the plot (but maybe necessary to maintain the mockbuster legend).
As I said, 90 minutes of cheap entertainment, if you know what to expect. Could have been better with the help of a good story writer.
It's a family business
nogodnomasters31 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This is another Asylum mockbuster, The special effects were not bad. A freighter is stranded on planet Dune and the crew has worms. Astrid Young (Emily Killian) is a recently demoted pilot who thinks too much outside of the box leads a rescue mission unaware that the worms are nor dormant.
I liked the story line, Astrid and the effects, yet somehow they managed to make it boring with dialogue and editing.
Guide: No f-words, sex, or nudity.
I liked the story line, Astrid and the effects, yet somehow they managed to make it boring with dialogue and editing.
Guide: No f-words, sex, or nudity.
Waste of Actual Time & Space
marilenemercy29 October 2021
I torrent try anything and this took life away from me.
The actors and actresses in this movie got cheated. With the movie title it's a cheap con to get anyone confused with The REAL Dune staring Timothee Chalamet which is waaaaaaaay better and the effects are worht it.
This one is just horrible!
The actors and actresses in this movie got cheated. With the movie title it's a cheap con to get anyone confused with The REAL Dune staring Timothee Chalamet which is waaaaaaaay better and the effects are worht it.
This one is just horrible!
How to make a Asylum Movie
JoeB1313 August 2022
1) Find a popular movie that is due in theaters soon.
2) Get a bloated, past their prime actor or actress to star in it so you can put their name on the credits.
3) Find some young desperate actors or actresses willing to do anything to break into the business.
4) Add some low quality CGI effects made by some nerd on their computer.
5) Stretch out ten minutes of actual story into an hour and a half of walking around in front of green screens or some desert or forest preserve.
So the plot here is that a ship crashed on a desert planet and the surviving crew is menaced by sandworms. The movie spends an agonizing hour and a half having our characters avoid getting eaten.
Our bloated actor for today is Sean Young, who just retroactively killed all my teenage fantasies from watching her in Blade Runner and the 1984 Dune. Time has NOT been kind. Young has had a troubled history since her heyday in the 1980's, and I should be glad she is getting some kind of work. I think they had her for a day.
The spaceship CGI doesn't look bad, but the alien worm monster CGI looks just awful.
And that's about it. It's a chore to watch. I don't even think Asylum is fooling anyone at this point, we all know what we are in for...
2) Get a bloated, past their prime actor or actress to star in it so you can put their name on the credits.
3) Find some young desperate actors or actresses willing to do anything to break into the business.
4) Add some low quality CGI effects made by some nerd on their computer.
5) Stretch out ten minutes of actual story into an hour and a half of walking around in front of green screens or some desert or forest preserve.
So the plot here is that a ship crashed on a desert planet and the surviving crew is menaced by sandworms. The movie spends an agonizing hour and a half having our characters avoid getting eaten.
Our bloated actor for today is Sean Young, who just retroactively killed all my teenage fantasies from watching her in Blade Runner and the 1984 Dune. Time has NOT been kind. Young has had a troubled history since her heyday in the 1980's, and I should be glad she is getting some kind of work. I think they had her for a day.
The spaceship CGI doesn't look bad, but the alien worm monster CGI looks just awful.
And that's about it. It's a chore to watch. I don't even think Asylum is fooling anyone at this point, we all know what we are in for...
Not as bad as its IMDB Score indicates
Tomniboos5 January 2022
This is a knock-off attempt to cash in on Dune (2021) and maybe get some accidental purchases from people trying to buy the other movie.
Its a basic B-movie and comes with the usual shoddy acting and special effects of varying quality the vfx in space actually look quite good but the worms less so at times. Though it still does a better job of showing the deserts than the Scifi mini series Frank Herbert's Dune.
It also features Sean Young who played Chani in Dune 1984. She is almost unrecognisable now but does a reasonable job in her role, though not as the lead as the poster sort of suggests.
The basic plot is that a group of people get stuck on Planet Dune attempting to rescue a downed freighter and end up having to battle sandworms before attempting their escape.
Its a basic B-movie and comes with the usual shoddy acting and special effects of varying quality the vfx in space actually look quite good but the worms less so at times. Though it still does a better job of showing the deserts than the Scifi mini series Frank Herbert's Dune.
It also features Sean Young who played Chani in Dune 1984. She is almost unrecognisable now but does a reasonable job in her role, though not as the lead as the poster sort of suggests.
The basic plot is that a group of people get stuck on Planet Dune attempting to rescue a downed freighter and end up having to battle sandworms before attempting their escape.
Would it help...
anthonykrutis19 January 2022
I stole my copy from my Walmart...Dang I thought it was Dune....was I wrong..But it did have Sean Young in it. But oh well it wasn't the worse movie ever. I can't add much more. But hope they make sequel or tv show about it.
Isaac Asimov would be amused
doug2go31 July 2022
If you liked Fred Ward in Tremors and are a Science Fiction fan you might actually watch this to the end - I did . This was not an attempt to re-story Dune - the name was a grabber and at best a bate and switch for those expecting something really good - The acting and special effects are just OK . Sean Young has been fighting weight issues for years and finally lost - at 62 she can be forgiven and does provide an upgrade in the acting category - I gave this a 5 because I watched it to the end for reasons stated above - not because it deserved a 5.
The Asylum gets it right sometimes
jmacd-313 March 2024
As far as low budget mock-busters are concerned, this one is pretty good. This rip-off of doom forgoes the complex plot and characters and gets right to the giant worms. While the plot is thin, the characterizations are adequate for this shallow adventure story. The performances aren't bad either and having someone the calibre of Sean Young in a supporting roll certainly helps. The sets and effects are budget, but they make good use of them for the most part and there aren't too many cringey visual moments. This isn't going to win any prizes, but it's a fun little B movie, and I can't imagine anyone was duped into seeing this thinking it was a film based on the Frank Herbert source material.
Well, I thought it was an ok watch...
Wikkid_Gamez31 January 2022
.... for a Mockbuster. After reading reviews here I am left wondering how anyone could actually mistake this for Dune? You can easily tell just by the cover that it's obviously not. Anyone that even halfway pays attention should be able to see that. For those out there that like mockbusters, or B movies in general, this is a decent watch. Would I buy it? Nope. But as I've said many times, I almost never buy movies. Sticking mostly to various streaming services instead. So maybe the fact that I didn't actually pay for it as an individual movie gives me an easier perspective. All in all I found it completely watchable, decent acting, it moved at a good steady pace, the effects were a bit cheesy like most B movies yes, but they were better than a lot of other movies I've seen, especially from SyFy or The Asylum. I think most people that watch scifi and horror movies with any regularity know what they are getting with The Asylum.... You don't go into one of their movies expecting top shelf effects, and anyone that sees a movie thats not even a year old with a $5 or less price tag should automatically just know its obviously not going to be the blockbuster that came out the year before. Js. Its common sense. I'm not big on just any B movie, I can't even stomach most of the ones the SyFy churns out. I have seen a small handful from The Asylum that were decent though, this now being ome of them. All in all I was entertained for an hour and a half.
Great special effects.
JohnPinion8 November 2021
Pretty amazing though, that within two minutes of the opening credits, the first continuity error appears - dude is scared by a worm, throws his walkie-talkie out of his hand, and seconds later is seen BEING EATEN with said communicator STILL IN HIS HAND! (Are we not supposed to notice that???) The effects are great, but I can see any kind of narrative depth is going to be beyond this movie.
Better than the new Dunes
providerssok7 March 2024
"Planet Dune" stands out as a superior film compared to Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of "Dune" for several reasons. Firstly, "Planet Dune" captures the essence of Frank Herbert's intricate world-building with unparalleled depth and fidelity. Its portrayal of the desert planet and its diverse inhabitants feels more immersive and authentic, drawing viewers into a fully realized universe. Additionally, "Planet Dune" excels in character development, offering nuanced and compelling portrayals that resonate with audiences on a deeper level. The relationships and motivations of the characters are explored with greater complexity, enriching the overall narrative experience. Moreover, "Planet Dune" showcases stunning visuals and innovative special effects that push the boundaries of cinematic technology, creating breathtaking spectacles that leave a lasting impression. Finally, "Planet Dune" succeeds in delivering a thought-provoking and thematically rich story that tackles complex issues such as power, religion, and ecology with intelligence and depth. Overall, "Planet Dune" surpasses Villeneuve's adaptation in its fidelity to the source material, character development, visual spectacle, and thematic richness, making it the superior film.
Asylum... are you feeling fine?
KikyNez21 November 2021
So
Sunday night. Nothing much to do nor nothing good to watch. I got caught with this "Dune" mockbuster.
I said "ok." But being Asylum I didn't have any expectation at all.
But...
FX are pretty decent Acting is not awful Not full stupid dialogues and some backstory for the characters and some development for them And some pretty decent action
Asylum, are you alright?
Is not the usual trash Although is not prefect this time I can say is an evolution
The bad: some stupid lines and some stupid bad decisions on characters. Not a lot, thankfully
The good: pretty decent FX and npt awful acting
The best: Sean Young
A pretty solid 6,5/10 so I'll put 7/10 because it can be rated like it on imdb and I give an extra point for Sean
Not that bad and kind of enjoyable.
Sunday night. Nothing much to do nor nothing good to watch. I got caught with this "Dune" mockbuster.
I said "ok." But being Asylum I didn't have any expectation at all.
But...
FX are pretty decent Acting is not awful Not full stupid dialogues and some backstory for the characters and some development for them And some pretty decent action
Asylum, are you alright?
Is not the usual trash Although is not prefect this time I can say is an evolution
The bad: some stupid lines and some stupid bad decisions on characters. Not a lot, thankfully
The good: pretty decent FX and npt awful acting
The best: Sean Young
A pretty solid 6,5/10 so I'll put 7/10 because it can be rated like it on imdb and I give an extra point for Sean
Not that bad and kind of enjoyable.
A true B movie
chefdonathome-683593 November 2022
If your really boarded, don't care about wasting your time, and like really bad "B" movies, you'll like this one!
Poor acting, terrible script, just bad CGI, and one name actor. Can't say about the direction, not like there was any really. But it's kind of fun in a really stupid way.
I guess they're riding on the Dune series tail, but really. It's kind of sad!
I'm not sure if it's at all worth watching. I was board, and a bit of time to waste so I watched it.
Would I recommend it? No.
Is it worth watching? No If your on a good vodka drunk and can't seem to be able to sleep, check it out. It's worth the laugh.
No it's not a comedy, but is should be listed as one as bad as it is.
Poor acting, terrible script, just bad CGI, and one name actor. Can't say about the direction, not like there was any really. But it's kind of fun in a really stupid way.
I guess they're riding on the Dune series tail, but really. It's kind of sad!
I'm not sure if it's at all worth watching. I was board, and a bit of time to waste so I watched it.
Would I recommend it? No.
Is it worth watching? No If your on a good vodka drunk and can't seem to be able to sleep, check it out. It's worth the laugh.
No it's not a comedy, but is should be listed as one as bad as it is.
See also
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