If you’re looking for your next great streaming fix, Dune: Prophecy is it. This new Max series adaptation of Frank Herbert’s visionary work aims to capture the same buzzworthy appeal that unites geeks and fantasy fans craving another Game of Thrones-level phenomenon. It serves as a prequel to Denis Villeneuve’s successful Dune films, which have built-in intrigue that few series can match.
Dune: Prophecy is based on the novel Sisterhood of Dune by Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. It’s a bold, audacious entry into the science-fiction television landscape, delivering a sprawling saga of power, survival, and betrayal. If the first few episodes are any indication, the series is wildly entertaining and thoroughly unpredictable, though heavy on Herbert and Dune lore.
The series is set 10,000 years before the latest Dune film. The two main characters are sisters Valya (Academy-Award nominee Emily Watson), the leader of the Sisterhood, and Tula Harkonnen (Rushmore’s Olivia Williams), a Reverend Mother. In one of the series’ standout scenes, a young Valya (played by Jessica Barden) reveals her true powers, dreaming of restoring her family’s noble status. In this opening scene, Valya demonstrates her control over mind and body, compelling a Sisterhood deserter to slice herself open with her knife.
Meanwhile, Emperor Javicco Corrino (The Penguin’s Mark Strong) of the Golden Lion Throne is marrying off his daughter, Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina), to a young prince to form alliances, secure peace, and reinforce political ties. However, Princess Ynez is secretly involved with Keiran (Chris Mason), a swordmaster of a Great House who teaches her the arts of self-defense and killing.
Complicating Javicco’s plans for Ynez is Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel), a former soldier who miraculously survived a brutal onslaught and returned to report to the Emperor himself. After Ynez’s new fiancé gets caught with forbidden technology, Hart reveals a formidable power that even the Sisterhood can’t fully comprehend. Hart gradually gains Corrino’s trust, aiming to maintain peace while subtly driving a wedge between the Golden Lion Throne and the Emperor’s closest advisors, the Sisterhood.
The first four episodes of Dune: Prophecy were given to critics, delivering an intense and thrilling opening batch that viewers will surely embrace. The series is visually stunning, with remarkable set design, costumes, and production values. The special effects are also impressive, reaching a level rarely seen in streaming television. Given HBO’s recent successes with high-quality productions like The Penguin, this level of craftsmanship is unsurprising.
Yet, this is far from a standard science-fiction series. The series retains the brutal streak familiar to fans of the Dune film franchise. The end of the first episode pulls no punches, delivering relentlessly ruthless scenes. A capricious death in the pilot is devastating, immediately setting the tone for the rest of the series. Inspired by the franchise’s legacy, the show has plot twists. That’s because the writing team adds a skillful blend of political maneuvering, intense violence, and good old-fashioned betrayal.
The result is a very entertaining, high-stakes narrative. The performances are spot-on, with Emily Watson giving a powerful and magnetic performance, and her actions have visceral consequences. Williams is also acceptable, representing a bigger heart than her cold sister. Her character also means much of the show’s moral ambiguity, sacrificing or offering up sisterhood students for the greater good.
Max’s Dune: Prophecy is a series worth watching. The show has harrowing dark themes and the potential to add to the Dune legacy as a cultural touchstone to stand on its own. With intricate writing, a substantial ensemble of talented actors, and a deep understanding of Frank Herbert’s lore, this series has “hit” written all over it.
You can stream Dune: Prophecy only on Max on November 17th, 2024.
Bold and audacious, Dune: Prophecy is skillful blend of political maneuvering, intense violence, and good old-fashioned betrayal, while being wildly entertaining and thoroughly unpredictable.
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I am a film and television critic and a proud member of the Las Vegas Film Critic Society, Critics Choice Association, and a 🍅 Rotten Tomatoes/Tomato meter approved. However, I still put on my pants one leg at a time, and that’s when I often stumble over. When I’m not writing about movies, I patiently wait for the next Pearl Jam album and pass the time by scratching my wife’s back on Sunday afternoons while she watches endless reruns of California Dreams. I was proclaimed the smartest reviewer alive by actor Jason Isaacs, but I chose to ignore his obvious sarcasm. You can also find my work on InSession Film, Ready Steady Cut, Hidden Remote, Music City Drive-In, Nerd Alert, and Film Focus Online.
