User reviews

The Dunes literally gave me chills. The actor playing William Night was so convincing, every time he came on the screen I was silent. Brilliant performances by all involved and I'd watch again when I have friends over. A good weekend movie.

This is one quirky movie. It won't be everyone's cup of tea but movies like this always get my attention. It's short and uncomplicated.

It's a good movie, probably not worth an 8 but as I live in Victoria and recognised some of the locations I bumped the rating up by 1 point.

Funny how people complain about "terrible acting" when people arent "acting", they re just doing the hardest thing of all...being natural and present before the camera. Guess we get so used to what's actually over acting we dont see the real skill of just being.

You can see the difference as soon as the cops arrive, both terrible, a phoney feeling presence/ " acting a part" This is a solid offering really enjoyed it.

The Dunes (2021) directed and starred by Martin Copping. Is a phycological thriller. Which explores how past events catch up to people and that never be too nice to strangers.

The films shows how someone with a harmless request as 'helping a flat car battery' can actually be a cold sadistic killer.

I implore you to watch The Dunes. There is a reason it won many awards.

I liked it. The Dunes started out as a creepy mysterious drama which it did a good job at doing while also having really stunning camera shots. The Australian landscape was beautifully featured throughout. After a while the movie took a turn and went towards a psychological thriller type of mode. The characters had good depth and it made you feel an extra level of "angst" brought on by their relationships with each other. I think that's why this worked for me. Worth a look!

The story is ok, the scenery is nice, but the acting is wooden and completely unbelievable.

As much as I love to support Australian cinema, this movie is a 3 at best.

Don't believe the high scores, clearly made by people connected to the movie.

A psychological thriller showing that your past will always catch up with you. The dunes is an interesting and a bit unusual film that I highly recommend. With an amazing storyline and a really talented cast (including Stumpy the one-legged seagull) this film makes for an amazing watch!

The start will draw you in, but soon you will find yourself stuck, deciding whether watching this film was a good idea at all. It continues to suck you down deeper to new levels of bad acting and plot turns. Stay on the safe trails and away from dodgy shortcut films like this.

There is a one legged seagull called stumpy (not revealed as stumpy by movie characters but often appears in director Martin copping's social media accounts.)

I hope there is a sequel to this movie because it just needs one! I thought this movie was incredibly enjoyable. I will say that it didn't have much violence or gore that I wish it had but I was willing to overlook that. Martin Copping's story was a complex and compelling emotional tale about a successful journalist from Los Angeles making his way back to Australia. Seems normal right? That's when things take a turn. The character building is quick and to the point without being rushed and the relationships are built on throughout the entire movie. The ending was suspenseful but again I wish there was more violence and gore, maybe a little more Hollywood sprinkles on it. Having said that I would recommend this if you want a good story that attacks more to the psychological aspect of things but would advise you to find a different film if you're looking for something more of a horror movie.

A passion project from long term Australian actor turned director Martin Copping, The Dunes (the other Dune movie from 2021) is a low budget Australian thriller that favours the slow burn, as we follow Copping's LA based journalist Nicholas Rice on a trip back to his small Australian home town, a town that hides secrets both old and new in a potentially deadly scenario.

Backed through extensive Kickstarter campaigns and a dogged determination from Copping who also wrote this feature to coincide with his leading turn and direction, The Dunes is an at times rough around the edges (not to be unexpected from such a production) feature but there's enough going on here to ensure that should you be willing to bypass its raw nature, Copping's dark genre offering is a unique Australian piece that isn't afraid to shock and provide its share of twists and turns.

Shot in and around the picturesque Australian area of the Mornington Peninsula, The Dune's pretty backdrops and seaside surrounds mask the sins and evils that exist in Rice's past and present as he deals with his deteriorating father, past loves and a new contact in the form of Tim Phillipp's keen spear fisherman William Knight, who starts to play an ever growing presence in Rice's life back in his old stomping ground.

Unlikely to appeal to those seeking a white knuckle thriller filled with guns, blood and jump scares, The Dunes much prefers thrills in the forms of the psychological and while at times it may be a frustrating experience in a narrative sense through parts of its early and middle stages, as the puzzle comes together in the final act and you begin to grasp just who is who and why certain things are happening, The Dunes offers some memorable moments and impressively staged payoffs that not many will see coming.

Lacking the killer blow or knockout punch that may've elevated it to the next level, while unable to produce a genuinely noteworthy performance, with Phillipp's leaving the biggest impression as the charismatic but also devious Knight, The Dunes isn't ever quite able to become the film it might've been had more stars aligned but it's an impressive effort from Copping who has shown here that he has what it takes to become a very exciting local talent behind the camera.

Final Say -

At times rough and unrefined, The Dunes remains an impressive independent Australian offering that provides a twisting and turning psychological story that will have you guessing right up until the final moments.

3 packets of Two Minute Noodles out of 5.

Ridiculous acting that is tedious and painful to watch. Unbelievable situations (especially the attending police) make this another cringeworthy film that Australia seems to be producing lately.

An absolutely unexpected gem. Great character development with certain characters, believable arcs, a likeable cast and, like all good psychological films it gives you brief moments of reprieve due to an interesting narrative. Might I add it's also amazing to see actual Australian accents depicted in a film without falling into a caricature of stereotypes and false overacting which often happens in media portrayals. All in all it's a solid watch.

A sad story that explores the consequences of addiction and abuse. The character's back stories unfolded at the end after unexpected and tragic outcomes. The scenery is lovely. It was a little odd and at times a few performances were a little wooden, but a good effort on low budget.

My first EVER review here as I think it's all to easy to criticise another person's art.

However, I felt compelled to here as I'm tired of seeing Australian talent & great foundations for an excellent movie ruined by outdated and overused clichés, such as police attending scene as mentioned. The continuity and flow of the story is also where our movies fail ! Why ? More like a cut & paste scrap book from a primary school student. We're far more capable and able than that.

So, after a promising start and holding of breath, sure enough, we were let down again.

Certainly not due to the acting or rather casting, just the corner cutting & lack of vision & adherence to clichés again letting us down.

Query, does the director & producers watch their work the way we viewers, who the product is made for, do ?? Can they not see the shortcomings of their work, the way we do ?

A shame, as they had all the elements there to make an excellent movie. Dare I say one to rival the US who churn this stuff out like McDonalds does with burgers.

I do thank all the actors & crew involved for their efforts. You deserved a better end result.

Such a trippy film with lots of plot twists and unexpected turns. The Dunes starts off with getting to know the main character Nicholas Rice, a renowned journalist working in Los Angeles as he then returns back to his hometown in Australia. When he gets home, a mysterious person enters back into his life. Things then take a turn and without giving away too much let's just say if you're into physiological thrillers then you will enjoy this. I can usually guess what happens next but this one kept me on my toes. A good watch.

This movie, like most of the productions out of Australia, is so hard to watch with interest and patience. So many plot holes with poor acting. The screenplay was purposefully manipulated with twists by writer/director Martin Copping. Sadly, he didn't even quite understand how to make the detective character convincingly believable. If you take look at all of the from 7/10, 9/10. 10/10 high ratings, you'll find they are almost the same, even the titles and the words used are almost the same. Obviously, all the people who involved in this production or the people related to these reviewers, are trying so hard but shamelessly to promote this poorly scripted, directed, cast, and acted lame duck out of Australia.

Don't be fooled like me, don't waste your time.

I've been on a movie binge of late and YouTube recommended The Dunes trailer to me and I was hooked. Having finished it just tonight, I found it thrilling, captivating and fast-paced. Filled with physiologically filled adrenaline sequences and never-ending tension, it's just the kind of film I prefer watching. This isn't your typical guns blazing, blood spilling movie so it might be a hit or miss for many but if you're a more into storylines and plot twists this will be right up your alley. Nevertheless, it is a fun 98 minute popcorn escape.

I thought the film was going to be yet again a predictable slasher movie but it wasn't! Clever ending and a deep meaning involved in terms of addiction and abuse. I don't want to give away too much but I hope The Dunes hopefully gets the recognition it rightfully deserves. Award winning!

Cool little indie film . Loved seeing the Australian country side in this manner . Nice slow burn thriller with great acting from the leads . Didn't see the end coming . Not perfect , but definitely worth a watch .

Monumental waste of time that I'll never get back.

Terrible acting. Frustrating Plot lines that often lead nowhere ... an obvious 'bad guy' ... Night - get it 😔...and soooo tediously slow ..to get to an 'ending' that is fairly predictable and inane.

The people giving this movie a rating over 5 must be relatives and friends of the crew and cast ... there is no 'thrill' in this supposed thriller.

I always try to support the Australian film industry which is the reason I watched this for every excruciating minute. It's disappointing to write this kind of review as I realise the effort and finance that must have gone into producing this but surely we can do better.

I really enjoyed The Dunes. It had all the things I felt made this into a successful thriller. They have foreshadowing, crescendoing tension, atmosphere, drama and spirituality. Australians just have a heightened sense of what it would be like to experience things that happen slowly but happen nonetheless in spite of all your wishing it wouldn't happen. Don't get me wrong, while I do enjoy a jump fest, over the top adrenaline rush, and "no don't do that" kind of flick, I also acknowledge the genius of an amazingly executed scary story. My thanks to those involved.

Many very great unpredictable twists and turns turning up just after you start to appreciate how quality the acting is. Pretty cruisy watching and the suspense comes at the right time. Something for the guys and girls, also displaying some genuine Aussie character and some beautiful Aussie shoreline scenery we are best known for.

A consistent but easy going plot line, the movie leaves you wondering and thankfully not with a disappointing ending. This movie has a way of tugging at the heart strings too.

For a movie made during the whole covid calamity in 2021, this one is certainly worth a look.