Based on the prevalence of excessively negative reviews of this movie around here, I would say that a lot of the reviewers are seriously lacking in perspective.
Without doubt, DUNE DRIFTER is a low-end, low budget sci-fi picture and does suffer from many of the ailments that naturally result from that status.
But it's simply unfair to be so completely down on this movie. It does genuinely rise above its circumstances and tries to tell a passable story with what it has to work with.
It is very easy to point out its readily apparent flaws, not the least of which is its name. Unfortunately, the name DUNE DRIFTER really does get everything off on the wrong foot, sad to say. It's clearly one of those movie titles that some management weenie has chosen in hopes of glomming extra attention through a mistaken association with the legendary Dune stories. It does a disservice to this poor movie because it effectively coats it with cinematic marketing slime even before the opening credits. It's a much better movie than this sort of appalling behavior would suggest. It wouldn't surprise me if many of the reviewers were angry at this movie before they even saw it because they recognized this behavior.
The comparisons to ENEMY MINE are legitimate; it's basically the same story in most respects except there is no friendship that blossoms. It's total warfare from beginning to end. The comparison is so close, as a matter of fact, there's no point in giving much of a synopsis. Space battle, two damaged combatant ships crash land on nearby planet, fight for survival ensues, human wins over execrable aliens and departs. The end.
I would be lying if I claimed it was all good. More than a few low-budget cinematic sins are present. Our heroine has a blaster that only irritates the enemy (yes, it actually has THAT trope...). Human space ship parts and alien spaceship parts are interchangeable, apparently. Endless amounts of screen time are devoted to characters doing almost nothing while trudging across desolate wastelands. And the list goes on, unfortunately.
But basic fairness requires the granting of credit where credit is due. A movie should be judged by the realities of what it ever COULD have been given the circumstances. Given its limiting realities, it probably rates a 7 or 8 within its caste.
If you doubt me, before watching DUNE DRIFTER, I strongly recommend you go watch JURASSIC GALAXY. You should really get a firm grasp on what kind of garbage low budget sci-fi CAN be before you pass judgment on DUNE DRIFTER.
It has its warts and zits, but it's still worth watching for all that.
Without doubt, DUNE DRIFTER is a low-end, low budget sci-fi picture and does suffer from many of the ailments that naturally result from that status.
But it's simply unfair to be so completely down on this movie. It does genuinely rise above its circumstances and tries to tell a passable story with what it has to work with.
It is very easy to point out its readily apparent flaws, not the least of which is its name. Unfortunately, the name DUNE DRIFTER really does get everything off on the wrong foot, sad to say. It's clearly one of those movie titles that some management weenie has chosen in hopes of glomming extra attention through a mistaken association with the legendary Dune stories. It does a disservice to this poor movie because it effectively coats it with cinematic marketing slime even before the opening credits. It's a much better movie than this sort of appalling behavior would suggest. It wouldn't surprise me if many of the reviewers were angry at this movie before they even saw it because they recognized this behavior.
The comparisons to ENEMY MINE are legitimate; it's basically the same story in most respects except there is no friendship that blossoms. It's total warfare from beginning to end. The comparison is so close, as a matter of fact, there's no point in giving much of a synopsis. Space battle, two damaged combatant ships crash land on nearby planet, fight for survival ensues, human wins over execrable aliens and departs. The end.
I would be lying if I claimed it was all good. More than a few low-budget cinematic sins are present. Our heroine has a blaster that only irritates the enemy (yes, it actually has THAT trope...). Human space ship parts and alien spaceship parts are interchangeable, apparently. Endless amounts of screen time are devoted to characters doing almost nothing while trudging across desolate wastelands. And the list goes on, unfortunately.
But basic fairness requires the granting of credit where credit is due. A movie should be judged by the realities of what it ever COULD have been given the circumstances. Given its limiting realities, it probably rates a 7 or 8 within its caste.
If you doubt me, before watching DUNE DRIFTER, I strongly recommend you go watch JURASSIC GALAXY. You should really get a firm grasp on what kind of garbage low budget sci-fi CAN be before you pass judgment on DUNE DRIFTER.
It has its warts and zits, but it's still worth watching for all that.