Marc Price (who famously made the zombie film Colin on £50) has used his thrifty skills once more to write and direct this ambitious but effective sci-fi thriller.

Marooned on an alien planet after crash-landing during a mission to attack the enemy, Alder (Phoebe Sparrow) has only a finite amount of life support left. Everything looks hopeless, unless she can fix the damaged ship. Another crashed ship might hold the answer but could also be a danger.

Punching way above its weight, Dune Drifter does a great job of transporting us to a different world. The first third – set during an epic space battle is fabulously claustrophobic and tense. The CGI is more than adequate and has a Star Wars/Battlestar Gallactica (the original one) feel. Once on the planet, it’s a fight for survival of a different kind. The introduction of the foe doesn’t lead to a recreation of Enemy Mine, fortunately as there are a number of well-choreographed fights and added trauma.

While it won’t compete with the likes of The Martian for awards, but Price has crafted an exciting, always watchable, and visually impressive piece of sci-fi that is more than worthy of your attention.

For more information about the making of Dune Drifter, check out our set visit in STARBURST #473