A comedy film striving to rouse laughter amidst the political turmoil and intense gun violence controversies in America, “The Duel,” unfortunately, falls flat in its execution. Released via Iconic Events for a one-night-only screening on July 31 and set for streaming in August, the film's plot revolves around best friends turned foes portrayed by Dylan Sprouse and Callan McAuliffe. When an unfortunate intertwining of their love lives leads to conflict, they decide to resolve their dispute in the old-fashioned way, with pistols.
Though initially an innovative concept, "The Duel" fails to explore the creative potential brimming in its premise. Despite the directional team, Luke Spencer Roberts, and Justin Matthews laudable visual frames, the film sorely lacks depth in character exploration.
Narrator Patrick Warburton's eloquent voice-overs tell the story of how Colin (Sprouse) deceitfully steals the girl Woody (McAuliffe) hoped to marry. To settle the score, Woody burns Colin's cherished surfboard, a memento made by his late father. Unwilling to let the conflict settle, Woody seeks the services of an underground society that provides antiquated weapons and venues suitable for duels. The film portrays a grossly simplified process of the duo deciding to duel, meticulously following through with the arrangements.
The film's thin plot dwindles even further when it introduces characters that do not contribute substantially to the narrative. Rachel Matthews' character Abbie barely leaves a mark in the film, while secondary characters, Kevin (Hart Denton) and Sam (Denny Love), offer little more.
In this satire, the friends end up starting their duel outside what appears to be a Prohibition-era speakeasy. When the fight turns vulgar, the all-too-proper proprietor, Christof (Warburton) clad in a tweed vest, bow tie and flat cap, reorients them towards a gentlemanly duel.
Christof serves as a metaphoric representation of Americans who resort to guns for conflict resolution, offering a refined and aestheticized image of gun usage. The movie includes a well-though-out reference to iconic American figures who were known for their association with guns, marking interesting commentary on gun culture.
The film ties up loose ends with Colin and Woody attempting to talk through their disagreement at the estate of an avid collector named Rudolpho (Ronald Guttman). However, the directors (Luke & Justin) fail to transcend their cinematic humor beyond the superficial, anticlimactic plot. Characters Colin and Woody never become fully dimensional, reducing the ending's potential profundity. Strewn with attempts to channel Quentin Tarantino or Martin McDonagh's wit, "The Duel" never quite accomplishes a truly compelling narrative or empathetic characters worth investing in.
