TV review
Ambition, as we see in HBO’s prequel series “Dune: Prophecy,” is a tool that cuts both ways. Wielded with precision, it can lead to salvation; wielded recklessly, ruin awaits. That trait, in all its variations, forms the core of the phenomenal “Prophecy,” which is set 10,000 years before the events of the 2021 movie “Dune” and shows the rise of the powerful sect of women that would become known as the Bene Gesserit. We already know how that ambition plays out — it involves a lot of drugs, sandworms and a blue-eyed man who can see the future — yet watching the small but growing sisterhood teeter between ascendancy and destruction is nothing short of captivating.
The six-episode series (of which the first four were made available for review) is an origin story of how two sisters, wracked with grief and fueled by revenge, would change the known universe for millennia to come. Set shortly after the end of humanity’s successful war against the thinking machines, “Prophecy” introduces us to a sisterhood that wants to wield and influence the ambition of others to advance the species and guide the future. But though its creed is “Sisterhood Above All,” an act of ambitious violence within its ranks alters its future, a common theme in the “Dune” universe.
“Prophecy,” based on the 2012 novel “Sisterhood of Dune” by Brian Herbert (son of Frank Herbert, author of the original “Dune” novels) and Kevin J. Anderson, weaves together two timelines: present day, when Reverend Mother Superior Valya Harkonnen (a can’t-look-away-from Emily Watson) and her sister Reverend Mother Tula Harkonnen (an equally mesmerizing Olivia Williams) lead the Sisterhood; and 30 years prior, when the young sisters struggle to find purpose with a last name that closes more doors than it opens.
The past timeline provides context behind Valya’s naked ambition to rise above her current station and brutally highlights what the sisters are capable of in their quest for revenge. It’s the current timeline that offers the most intrigue, though. We see the seeds being planted for what will become the Bene Gesserit’s ultimate goal of creating a male superbeing through its enormous (and highly secretive) breeding program. We get a deeper look at the clever machinations the Sisterhood deploys to exert its influence and to embed itself into positions of power and trust in the great houses, not unlike HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” But the most compelling aspect of “Prophecy” is, well, a prophecy, and how it will come to threaten the very survival of the Sisterhood.
Anchoring that perfectly paced storytelling is the excellent acting led by Watson and Williams. The two share a dazzling chemistry as sisters who’ve overcome great odds but face still more danger. Mark Strong’s Emperor Javicco Corrino offers an interesting contrast to future “Dune” emperors, seemingly much meeker than one would think a leader of the Imperium would be. And I’m willing to put money down that Travis Fimmel’s Desmond Hart will quickly become a fan favorite. Fimmel plays the enigmatic soldier with a manic-eyed glee and a madman’s aura that makes it hard to look away. (It doesn’t hurt that Volker Bertelmann’s seductive and heart-racing score gets a little insidious every time Desmond shows up.)
All of this takes place in a stunning visual landscape (one without as much sand as you might think). The great houses are ostentatiously ornate, a popular club is an inspired fusion of neon and shadow, and extreme close-ups emphasize the symbolism of things both great and mundane. Pierre Gill’s cinematography is on par with Villeneuve’s films, which is saying something because those films are visual masterpieces.
In the end, “Dune: Prophecy” is a riveting mosaic of intrigue, deceit, ambition and loyalty. With its stellar cast and feature film-quality visuals, it brilliantly brings to life the origin story of a group that’s central to the “Dune” universe. We may know how it all plays out, but watching the perilous journey unfold is worth every minute.
