The following assessment incorporates spoilers for the fifth episode of Dune Prophecy, “In Blood, Truth”
Yes! Finally! Some drama! I actually want extra of Dune: Prophecy felt like “In Blood, Truth.” It’s received massive reveals, massive motion, and massive choices being made, and all of it feels a lot extra thrilling than the whole lot main as much as it. Almost each factor of the episode feels elevated, from how the visuals and motion come collectively to provide the viewers recent new issues to have a look at, and an power to the performances that really feel significantly better now that the actors have one thing to essentially chew on. Even the boring Imperial storyline will get injected with new pleasure – particularly with the introduction of Mother Francesca to the combination. This is the primary time Dune: Prophecy has actually nailed the Game of Thrones impression it’s been making an attempt to do that complete time, and it’s perplexing why the entire present isn’t like this. With just one episode left, it appears the thrill can be short-lived.
It’s most likely best to see the results of the extra partaking script in how a lot the youthful actors are in a position to step it up in “In Blood, Truth.” It’s actually the primary time Dune: Prophecy has given Josh Heuston one thing to work with within the function of Constantine Corrino, and he’s lastly in a position to make the bastard son making an attempt to win his father’s favor a extra compelling a part of the sequence. Sarah-Sofie Boussnina advantages from it as properly, and with the place Princess Ynez’s story is left in “In Blood, Truth,” it’ll be thrilling to see the place issues go, and if they will pull off a very good ending for the character. Chloe Lea, who’s been one of many standouts among the many youthful actors within the sequence already, will get to play a complete new character in episode 5, as her foremothers vie for management of Sister Lila’smind, and her impersonation of Mother Raquella is spot on – she expertly mirrors Cathy Tyson’s actions, quirks, and speech patterns. A rising tide lifts all boats, and a extra thrilling story does the identical for these performances.
Visually, “In Blood, Truth” nonetheless doesn’t come near the Dune films, however the heightened motion of the episode naturally makes all of it extra visually attention-grabbing. As issues begin to pop off (actually) with Keiran and Mikaela, we’re handled to some strong battle choreography as they battle their method by the newly minted Sardukar, and whereas the explosions that observe don’t all the time look superb, it’s simply extra thrilling to look at when the story extra naturally works in tandem with the motion. It’s a welcome change of tempo for a sequence that has up to now struggled with its extra stunt-heavy scenes.
But that’s the problem: This is all too little, too late. There’s yet another episode subsequent week, and whereas I’ve comparatively excessive hopes for it now that issues appear to be coming collectively, this received’t save Dune: Prophecy from what it’s been. Too a lot time was spent setting the dominoes up, and now there’s little to no time left to get pleasure from watching them fall. Giving Dune: Prophecy solely 6 episodes to work with does the sequence an enormous disservice, and hyperlinks it to the multitude of current streaming sequence (possibly most notably the Disney+ MCU reveals) to observe the identical trajectory: feeling sluggish at first, solely to need to rush the ending.
