Written and directed by Peter Dorn-Ravlin, ‘Dust Angel’ is a short action sci-fi film that takes viewers on a futuristic adventure across the universe. Craig Vaden II leads the cast as one of Earth’s soldiers who is on a quest to discover the habitat of an unknown planet. Bret Tencheira co-stars as Dust Angel, a defender of the mysterious planet. The low-budget short does the best it can to emulate Hollywood-style special effects, in an effort to bring the narrative alive.
The 22-minute film opens with a voice-over introduction. The narrator tells of Earth’s conquest of expansion throughout the Universe, which led to a 20-year war with Mars. As a space-craft touches down on an unknown planet in the Andromeda galaxy, we are introduced to our protagonist. The blood-red sandy landscape offers the audience spectacular scenery, which is quickly interrupted by a battle between the soldier and Dust Angel. Without spoiling the concluding narrative, the film examines the deep history of the unknown planet. A captivating watch.
Peter Dorn-Ravlin has created a triumphant sci-fi film with an engaging plot throughout. In light of its low production value, production and costume design are of an acceptable standard with reasonable special effects from start to finish. Craig Vaden II delivers a fine performance that will keep viewers hooked until the closing credits. Cinematography is second-to-none, with high quality sound and post-production. Peter Dorn-Ravlin clearly knows the genre well, this is evident in the visual details and compelling narrative. Fans of the sci-fi genre will certainly appreciate the short.
