IR TV Review: DUNE - PROPHECY - EPISODE 1 (“The Hidden Hand”) [HBO/Max]
The idea of prophecy and power is based in time. With "Dune: Prophecy", the story functions as a precursor to the legend of the eventual Kwizatz Haderach but the reality is that this is supposed to be a perspective of the rise to power of the Bene Gesserit. With Episode 1: "The Hidden Hand," the beginning prologue paints a grim and yet visceral perspective (almost, in a way, Sith driven) which shows the power that evil or the possible crux of it wields. The use of the Voice is not used heavily in the first episode but the power that it has belies the witches' perspective. However there is a jump after this initial task and it settles into a more perhaps mundane approach. There is not quite yet someone to believe in or root for.
The show takes place 10,000 years before "Dune.” And yet it doesn't not feel all that different. The introduction paints the aspect of the war with the machines which honestly feels like the more dynamic story. But this is not a war film...it was predicated on the idea of who the Bene Gesserit are. Emily Watson is at the center as the dark one in mind and yet she is moving towards a cause (and yet her name is [Valya] Harkonnen). She is off set by Olivia Williams as Sister Tula Hark but neither seems quite as intense as the young woman (also Valya) who made a vicious but in her mind necessary move to power.
Mark Strong plays the Emperor Javicco with a daughter both destined for power, wild and yet bound for the sisterhood. Unlike Irulan who knows in a way what is coming (as the end of "Dune Part II" attests), the reason for her path (and why she chooses it) is not clear yet. A would-be wedding made as a power move brings to mind fuedal contracts which are at the basis of the House structure. The wild card here is Travis Fimmel as Desmond Hart, an Imperial soldier and yet somewhat of a mystery. He is not Duncan Idaho and yet he is not Feyd. The climax of the episode doesn't quite paint his loyalties but doesn't explain them either.
The story nonetheless hopefully will be about the Sisterhood. One scene which, weridly enough brings to mind “Alien Resurrection”, has the sister trainees trying to infiltrate the minds of criminals in a lab setting of sorts. The one standout in that scene seems like she will be crucial. But the build of the story is not that dynamic quite yet.That said, the sets and the scope are intrinsic and yet static. But the cool aspect is the notion of dreams and of seeing, which was only really alluded to in the films. Here they are much more vivid and visual represented across the board (without explanation) so it would be interesting to see how they are deconstructed in the bigger structure of the series. B+
By Tim Wassberg
