The Duel (I) (2016) User Reviews (86)

Harrelson and Hemsworth Are Both Excellent in Psycho-Western

[lavatch · 7/10 · 23 August 2016]

On the surface, "The Duel" is a classical western in the style of "High Noon." But the main interest in not the traditional melodrama of hero and villain. Rather, it is a subtle psychological drama that explores deeper personal values in the two leading characters.

Woody Harrelson is good as a character known as "The Preacher." He is a megalomaniac who has exerted his charisma and total control over a small town in Texas in the post-Civil War years. The traditional "stranger" who rides into town is a Texas Ranger, and the role is given a fine, understated performance by Liam Hemsworth.

The twist on this familiar plot is that the Texas Ranger is on a secret mission to spy on The Preacher, who has been wantonly killing Mexicans who have crossed over the border. But Hemsworth's character David has a second interest in The Preacher, who killed his father two decades earlier.

The film is effective in offering some depth to David's motives. Is he a dedicated Texas Ranger performing his job, or is his true motivation to revenge his father's death? The film never completely answers that question, but leaves it to the viewer to decide.

But there are other loose ends in the film that are both unresolved and confusing. The depiction of David's marriage to his wife Marisol is never fully developed in the film. Marisol was wedded to David without her consent when her father's life was saved by David. At the beginning, it appears as though they have a happy marriage. But the transformation of Marisol, who is won over to the side of The Preacher, seemed strained and unconvincing. And the film never even bothered to wrap up the narrative by informing the audience of what happened to Marisol!

Obviously, "The Duel" is not a perfect film. The historical backdrop of the development of Texas in the mid-nineteenth century was also superficial. It was almost as if the film could have been set in any historical period with a different set of costumes. Still, it is worth seeing for the excellent work in cinematography and the two fine performances of Harrelson and Hemsworth.

Pretty boss Western!

[subxerogravity · 6/10 · 30 June 2016]

I think most people would have expected more form a movie starring Woody Harrison and Liam Hemsworth,both who were in The Hunger Games together, but it was a pretty plain, low budget kind of thing that happen to have a really good story to it.

Hemsworth plays a Texas Ranger who is sent after a man killing Mexicans in a small town he runs, and just by coincidence, this same man killed his father 20 years ago in a strange ritual of code of honor from the town they are from. Making matters worse is the fact that this Texas Ranger brings with him his Mexican Wife just because she complained about having nothing to do around the house while he's gone, and she ends up being put under the religious spell this man has got on some of the townsfolk.

Hemsworth plays a decent cowboy. Not as dashing as his older brother, Chris as he goes for more of the Clint Eastwood type. Woody Harrison is a good villain in the film. It's similar to his work in the film, Out of the Furnace.

But I really like the grim story that the Western told about the treatment of the Mexicans after the borderline for Texas was created.

Overall it was a brilliant western that had no frills just a great story with some good actors telling the tale

This interesting film is paced reasonably well and turns out to be a fine vehicle for the two leads.

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 21 May 2023]

A Texas Ranger , David Kingston (Liam Hemsworth) is assigned by his commandant (William Sadler) to investigate a series of unexplained deaths in a town called Helena where rules tyrannically a fake preacher named Abraham (Woody Harrelson) . There , David is appointed sheriff, then things go wrong.

Pretty good and straightforward western dealing with thought-provoking issues , including thrills , go riding , noisy action , shootouts and lots of violence . Attractive but too slow at times , the movie is redeemed by its great performances , the realistic view of the Old West and by its rich array of charming roles. The two leading men Liam Hemsworth as David Kingston and Woody Harrelson as Abraham are magnificent in the hostile environment which the flick is set in . If you are a fan of the guys, Hemsworth and Harrelson , you'll want to watch this one ; they previously shared scenes in The Hunger Games film franchise. There are still nice scenes to see such as the saloon confrontation in similar style to Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven , the impressive final duel and other sparkling set pieces . It also results to be surprisingly gory along with a handful of violent and breathtaking action scenes . It results to be a thunder stuff with a strong star cast . The actors supporting who accompany the lead roles are fine , mostly acting decently , such as : Alice Braga , Emory Cohen, Felicity Price , William Sadler , Chris Baker , Chris Berry and Raphael Sbarge

It displays colorful and riveting cinematography by Jules O'Loughlin , reflecting wonderfully the landscapes and the little town environment, being heavily filmed in state park Florewood, and Greenwood, Mississippi . Evocative and appropriate musical score by Craig Eastman. The motion picture was finely written by Matt Cook who produced as well and compellingly directed by Kieran Darcy-Smith .The latter is a good actor and director , known for Wish you were here (2012), Animal Kingdom (2010) , Wolf Creek (2016) and he has shot various episodes of notorious TV series . He's married to Felicity Price who in "The duel¨ plays an important role as Noemi . Rating : Good, it's competent enough, a straightforward entertainment that results to be an intriguing story turned into an OK actioner Western. However , this is definitely an adult-oriented flick because of the violence, amount of gore and some profanity language on hand. It's one of the best Western films of the last years. A must see for every enthusiast of a decent action western movie.

A versatile plot carried well by two renowned actors.

[gavindonaghy-29916 · 7/10 · 13 August 2016]

(The only spoiler in this review is in the fourth paragraph) The Duel is a low budget western starring two big actors. I personally really enjoyed the movie. I felt at the beginning it was very slow paced, and this may be the case for the majority of the film. However this slow pace is necessary for the plot building at the start, which evolves into tension filled scenes that have a great action filled release.

With the revival of western movies recently, I feel there are some high expectations and people want the same thrilling response to the movies of this genre that used to be achieved in the golden age of western movies upheld by John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. I feel these expectations are what prevents people from enjoying simple enjoyable movies like The Duel.

The movies plot is a very common one of protagonist vs antagonist, you can see this from the movie poster. However the story behind this plot, and witnessing the relationship between the two key characters evolve in this movie is full of tension, suspense and mystery. Liam Hemsworth and Woody Harrelson both deliver convincing performances and accents. Woody Harrelson's character in particular is a villain which the movies mystery revolves around.

(spoiler in this paragraph)Although the movie is not without its flaws. The movie is successful in achieving mystery, however, Woody Harrelson's character, 'The Preacher', is the component of the story from which a lot of the mystery and suspense is resourced from. There are rumors surrounding him one of which is that "He is touched by God". His divine powers are never really evident except when he knows the protagonists true identity, and his interaction with 'Marisol' (the protagonists wife). I don't know if he knew David's (the protagonist) identity the whole time. I can't tell if he is the reason for Marisol's fever, why he is so interested in her, why she ends up turning on her husband and what happens to her when David leaves. At the end is she the preachers new wife? And why was she so allured to the preacher after he first visited her, does that weird symbol he painted on his eye have something to do with it or did he seduce her?. It's just that there is no clear cause for these events and no clear answer to the end result. You don't know if The Preacher has powers, or if he just brainwashes the town and the cult he leads into believing it. It is one small aspect that I just have too much curiosity towards, and it spoiled the movie on me slightly. The only other curiosity I have is the ending; David goes off into the brush and isolation and no one knows why.

(spoilers over) Other than the issues I addressed above, I really enjoyed the movie and was really engaged throughout. I feel that's the key with this movie, if you can stay attentive and pick up on the small details throughout, the action filled ending is a larger pay off and a more satisfying release of tension. I wouldn't say this is a movie I loved so much that I really want to see it a second time, but it is definitely worth the watch. Although if you don't like slow building plots and get bored easily in movies, this one may not be engaging enough, but if you like western movies, action (pretty violent), and suspense, then I think you will definitely enjoy The Duel.

A pleasant western film.Nice plot,good cast

[smaromargari · 6/10 · 1 November 2016]

Good cast,nice and interesting script but something's missing I don't know what exactly. Bad rating from the majority of the subscribers but I wasn't feel right the 2..4 or phrases like"waste of time" No it wasn't so bad ...but i agree that it's not a film for all.(I've read some reviews).A pleasant western film with quite fascinating plot.I'm not so much into the western films but I've enjoyed this one ...it wasn't captivating or something like that ,but not boring either.Everything was in place,every piece of the puzzle,the plot was there,the actors was there ,the action was there but something was missing.The whole movie was good though(6.7/10) even if I wanted,basically I needed a different ending .So,as a conclusion i want to say that the movie is worth seeing and enjoyable.Both Hemsworth and Harrelson were great and made the movie better .

An ambitious but flawed film that is average at best.

[mjmegelsh · 4/10 · 3 July 2016]

Regrettably, the great genre of film that is the Western struggles mightily in our present time. Most Westerns are now low-budget, like The Duel, but that does not mean that it should be written off (I was pleasantly surprised that the recent release Forsaken was a decent Western). There are some positives in this film, yet negatives are rampant and I will note the primary ones.

This film features a decent cast and an interesting story which involves an investigation surrounding missing people and an occult leader that has come to control the hearts and minds of the people of a small Texas town. However, besides a respectable performance by Liam Hemsworth, the cast is mediocre and forgettable with Woody Harrleson topping the list as being a cliché villain with forgettable, pretentious faux-intellectual dialogue.

The action is average at best, and above all else there is a feeling that the writers or producers wanted to inject their opinion regarding the current treatment of Mexicans (something a reviewer on Roger Ebert's website noted) into a script already bogged down with murder, missing persons, revenge, a husband-wife relationship, a mysterious town, and a religious occult leader. It is subtle. However, it seemed out of place and unnecessary but that does not stop Hollywood from forcing a narrative or agenda into a movie, does it?

Overall, this is a movie that had promise, but sub-par acting and a feeling that it did not know which plot point should receive the most attention weakened the film as a whole. If you like Westerns, you may find it more alluring because of the genre. Nevertheless, it is a one time watch that struggles and does not contribute anything of great worth.

Heart of Darkness

[ufalum88-447-900485 · 6/10 · 14 August 2016]

This is a short review because it is a simple adaptation. Like Outland was High Noon in space, The Duel is Apocalypse Now in the old West.

I will admit that I am a big fan of Woody Harrelson. As usual, he does not disappoint.

The rest of the cast is passable. There are faces here and there that you will recognize, but otherwise it seems the money on this movie was spent on Harrelson and Hemsworth. Honestly, I cannot tell if the writing is not particularly engrossing or if it seems uninspired because we know the story.

Either way, if you want a fast paced Western, this is not for you. If you want a slow, methodical and unnecessarily convoluted story featuring a good actor...you might like it.

Good acting, decent camera-work, abysmal script.

[andrej-holm · 3/10 · 24 June 2016]

Acting's as fine as you can except it from someone with talent just phoning it in for another paycheck.

The script is a piece of sh*t.

The plot's thin, shaky character motivations established by shitty exposition, nothing is really resolved (or for that matter, even interesting). Turns out the villain's kinda vilanious. Turns out the hero's just the sort of meathead you'd root for. At the end, a lot more people are dead, but really, none of them seemed to have any redeeming qualities at all. Also, the terrible deus ex machina at the end really ruins it all.

Straight cut with no frills for the ride on the edge.

[zenn_mind · 6/10 · 6 July 2016]

Westerns for me is such a distinctive genre as owing to a specific time in history and being rooted in its universal themes that has been explored almost exhaustively.

It's surprising then that one should come along with a kick to the teeth in the guise of a movie that's packaged lightly in terms of visuals and score. The story follows a young ranger and spouse as he has to face a man, who killed his father in a duel in the past, and now reigns supreme in a small town near the Mexican border.

Harrelson is cut out for this role as a man who is on a self-righteous path of carrying out the will of the divine by means of brutality and chances of fate. He is a force to be reckoned with and overshadows all else around him but Hemsworth's Kingston is well versed himself in taking the law into his own hands. Almost too mechanical by way of showing how it's done but believe you me it's a slice of justice being dished out, nothing fancy, and enough to sit you down.

The intrigue of spirituality that leads people on down a dark road is only touched upon as being an inexplicable power that makes few connections with the actual clandestine going ons that has brought the characters at odds with one another. Something as easily abused is often mistaken for something else but no one could possibly deviate from the course when Harrelson's fierce eyes are keeping watch.

A not for everyone Western

[brutzel · 5/10 · 29 August 2016]

Texas Ranger David Kingston (Helmsworth) is sent undercover to a Texas town to investigate why Mexicans are turning up dead.

What you will see: Marisol (Alice Braga), David's wife, insisting she go with David on his undercover mission, bloody hand-to-hand fighting, a variation of The Most Dangerous Game, a town under the grip of Cult Leader Abraham (Harrelson), an unexplained betrayal, a prayer meeting where snakes are handled by everyone, and pure racism.

I was overjoyed at the prospect of seeing another western, but I didn't expect the cruelty. This has to do with a variation of The Most Dangerous Game and you will be as shocked as I was. I am always surprised at some of the really sick things people do to others. There seems to be a tendency for Hollywood to go beyond normal good guy- bad guy plots and this is what we get.

The acting all around is very good, but we didn't expect the script to center around a variation of The Most Dangerous Game. This is where a good western turns into something not so good. And the unexpected betrayal seemed well out of place. (Aren't betrayals always unexpected?)

Notables: William Sadler as Governor Ross; Emory Cohen as Isaac, Abraham's brother; Raphael Sbarge as Dr. Morris; and Sue-Lynn Ansari as the Saloon Woman.

Sad to say, but this is a not for everyone Western. (5/10)

Violence: Yes. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: Yes, some not too often.

Excellent movie

[Yadasampati · 9/10 · 25 March 2018]

I was really impressed by this great movie and the low rating seems totally unjustified to me. Sometimes you see a painting where it is not the content that catches your eye, but the way that it is painted. I would say that i have that experience with this movie: a well crafted piece of art. The acting is superb, the sound, music and scenery fit well together and create the perfect atmosphere for this story. Not a complex or spectacular story, but intriguing, and beautifully painted. Absolutely a must see for those who appreciate quality.

Revenge Western

[Pairic · 7/10 · 20 November 2019]

The Duel: Woody Harrelson is well suited to the role of a prophet, a crooked snake-handling preacher called Brant who controls Mount Hermon, a town on the Texan-Mexican border. Mexican citizens have gone missing in the area and the Texas Governor sends Texas Ranger Kingston (Liam Hemsworth) to investigate, The complication is that Brant killed Kingston's father in a duel twenty years before. A tale of racism, revenge, ethnic cleansing and downright horror with some really disturbing scenes. Truly a Savage Western. Good acting by Hemsworth and Harrelson along with Alicie Brage as Marisol, Kingston's conflicted wife and Felicity Price as Naomi, a prostitute who is desperate to escape from Mount Hermon. Directed by Kieran Darcy-Smith. 7/10. On Netflix.

I want to like this movie but can't

[holybagpipes-6-153560 · 4/10 · 1 July 2016]

Top Five Positives: 1.) Story moves like a Louis L'Amour western novel - fast & hard. 2.) Actors do a fine performance. Nice job Kerry Cahill. 3.) Scenery, costumes, and props seem authentic. 4.) If you're into blood count, there's enough to slake your thirst. 5.) Interesting timing of release with political tensions around Mexican immigrants.

Top Negatives: 1.) Woody can't act. His character is the same in every movie/show since Cheers. 2.) Hey! It's Jim from the Office, what's he doing here? 3.) Wait. Is this the short story "The Most Dangerous Game"? 4.) Snake handler church were in Appalachia not Texas. 5.) There's no compelling reason for Marisol to leave her husband. Likewise, there are several scenes that show Kingston's passionate love for his wife but he leaves her behind. Incongruity. 6.) Double tap all zombies. Who doesn't finish off a villain? - Dumb movie characters, that's who. Don't worry though, a surprise "cavalry" saves the day. Who sits next to a villain and falls asleep? Step back a few yards, Son. 7.) The protagonist, Kingston, is a confused little boy. He says, "I'm not here for my dad, I'm a Texas Ranger" but at the end, he goes off into the woods as a sort of lost soul and doesn't return to report in at the Ranger's office. I get Rambo going off into the jungle b/c he's disillusioned with the government. What is this poor protagonist wrestling with in his head that he'd leave the and love of his life and job after winning the battle? The weight of Kingston's soul doesn't add up with the story.

"Do you not fear the eternal hell that awaits you?"

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 28 June 2019]

I fully expected this film to have a relatively low IMDb rating (5.8 as I write this), but I thought it was a pretty good Western. One thing I need to clear up from the movie's title page here on IMDb and also touched on by a number of reviewers, was the location of the main story. It opened with a scene taking place in 1846 in Helena, Texas, which is where some viewers believe the rest of the tale took place. But twenty two years later, the focus shifts to the town of Mount Hermon where Abraham Brant (Woody Harrelson) holds sway as the town boss and it's loquacious preacher. I guess it doesn't make a difference in the grand scheme of things, but I like to be accurate about these things.

Part of the plot here appears to be based on the 1932 film "The Most Dangerous Game", itself based on a short story of the same name by Richard Connell in 1924. That has to do with the fact that Preacher Abraham is running a hunting camp for foreign adventurers who want to know what it's like to kill people. The prey consists of captured Mexicans who are held in a cage, separated from their families, and left starving until the hunt is about to begin. Sounds a bit like a political statement being made here but who am I to judge, it didn't appear like any of them were requesting asylum. Assigned the task of discovering what's happened to missing Mexicans along the border, Texas Ranger David Kingston goes undercover with an assumed name, going by Locke. Taking his wife along under duress, David initially gains Abraham's favor and is made town sheriff, though it's later revealed that Abraham knew David's real identity as the son of a man that the Preacher killed in an arm strapped duel back in 1846 Helena.

There are some interesting elements that pop up in the story, like Abraham's branding of a town prostitute (Felicity Price) with the letter 'A' on her thigh indicating that he 'owns' her, and Abraham's fascination with snake handling during his call to Jesus sermons. Playing it safe, Abraham doesn't use serpents of a poisonous variety like some modern day Pentecostals, he's content to handle what looks like a collection of corn snakes and milk snakes, quite colorful I might add, and actually beneficial to keep a rodent population down. There's also a rather clever twist in the story that blows by quickly and isn't highlighted, and that's the idea that David knew Spanish the entire time Abraham was warning him with a threat to his life. Not very savvy of Abraham there, knowing that Davis was married to a Mexican wife (Alice Braga).

That last point was probably the most underdeveloped part of the story. It seemed that part of Marisol's (Braga) discontent with her husband was based on the fact that her own father 'gave' her to David right before dying. She fell under Abraham's evil eye while disadvantaged with some mysterious ailment, and it leaves a big question mark at the end of the story as to the resolution of her marital relationship. Not so for the fate of The Preacher. Again, with a little bit of a twist, Abraham has his own come to Jesus moment in a final showdown with David. You might say that the evil town boss found himself caught between a rock and a hard place.

The Duel

[Gordon-11 · 17 November 2016]

This film tells the story of a young boy who witnessed his father being stabbed to death in a duel. Years later, he is sent to a remote border town, where Mexicans strangely disappears. He investigation and brings the culprits to their rightful justice.

"The Duel" is not like an ordinary Western film. It is not just about bar fights and senseless violence among ragged men, seeking revenge after revenge. Instead it tells a story that is more than revenge. For a start, the main characters are all well dressed with good self care, which is a refreshing change. The plot emphasises on how the new couple settles into a new town, being embraced and rejected by its residents at the same time. Woody Harrelson portrays a charming leader of the town, yet his two faced character can be chilling at times. The use of snakes though, it a little over the top, and makes me wonder whether that is a realistic portrayal of life back then.

This is a good watch

[benntune · 7/10 · 22 November 2019]

I'm no movie critic but it was entertaining enough and had a decent storyline to it. I liked both main characters and their shared history. It's worth a watch.

Violent, Gory, Campy, Bizarre, Stupid, Boring & One Handsome Guy

[mike3386 · 2/10 · 22 October 2017]

Flashback, it's 2013-2014-2015, Woody Harrelson and Liam Hemsworth work together on three of the four "Hunger Games" teen flicks (sorry, that's another story). Somewhere (about 2014) they both see the end coming in this mother lode, so Harrelson (comfortable in his mentor role of "Games") says to ole Blue Eyes, "Hey Liam, you wanna make some easy pocket change?" "You bet, Mitch, uh, Woody". "OK, with your looks and my weirdness let's do a badass Western. The plot is stupid, but that won't matter, real Western fans are all dead anyway, so let's just make a campy teen horror chick flick." "OK, got it!"

And there you have a plausible scenario . . . for where/how this mess evolved. Throw in some continuously garbled dialog, especially from behind a too-bearded Hemsworth and you're left with nonsense . . . save for some good photography, realistic costumes, interesting sets, and decent Western scenery . . . for Greenwood, MS.

Further trouble for the viewer develops as minutes drag into hours (almost two), while the thin cliché of a plot gets more bizarre as it turns into Take-Your-Wooable-Wife-To-Work-Day at the local Texas Rangers. Gimme a break.

Stupid is as stupid does. If this is your cup of violence and gore, then go for it, but a note to the three other real Western fans still alive out there, stay away, stay very far away.

Missing the good footage

[patchcord · 7/10 · 18 September 2016]

This movie misses just one thing, which makes it so underrated: the proper footage. I've imagined its action using the old 60-70s cameras, and colors, and the feeling on the cinema tape. If it all would be right here, we would see this new-kind of western with another eyes.

I truly liked the original plot, which is combined here with classic western elements. What distinct is, the Bad guy and the Good guy are on different sides not because of money, not a woman, and even not because of revenge.

The most interesting fact there is no obvious sex or platitudes, or something which would make your stomach suspended. Authors are very polite to their work and they're trying to avoid special effects, to make the suspense and philosophy on top of this all.

The final scene looks a bit unbelievable, and reminded me one of the scenes in the acclaimed Danny Boyle movies... but considering how hardcore mad and strong is the person played by Mr. Harrelson, I may agree this still could be allowed.

The Most Dangerous Game as a business

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 2 October 2016]

A number of citizens of Mexican origins are disappearing and the bodies, some of them, have been found floating in the Rio Grande. A Mexican general played by Jose Zuniga is threatening to do a Pancho Villa and cross the border as his niece is one of the missing. That prompts the Governor of Texas to dispatch one of his best Texas Rangers, Liam Hemsworth to a remote region to investigate a town called Helena.

A former Confederate colonel Woody Harrelson is a Reverend Jim Jones like character who holds sway there. Hemsworth has his work cut out for them, more than he could ever conceive.

There are certainly elements of The Most Dangerous Game here, but add to that the cult like devotion that Harrelson enjoys. Plus he's making good money for himself and the town of Helena with his most dangerous game. He's opened it up as a business, it's clear that the Mexicans are substitutes for black people as I'm sure the word is out to avoid the area and Mexicans are plentiful across the river.

None of the drama in that original Most Dangerous Game is present here. Harrelson is a compelling figure, Australian Hemsworth is convincing as a Texan.

The whole thing falls way short of a classic and even as a western, most western fans will find this way to weird.

Average Western but not up there with the best

[savagejj · 7/10 · 25 March 2018]

OK for an evenings viewing but no where near a classic western. The deal with the wife totally confused me but otherwise not a bad story line. 7 out of 10 for me. Not many Westerns rate below an 8 with me.

Really dumb script

[FinneganBear · 1/10 · 2 January 2018]

The presence of Harrelson and Hemsworth as well as the plot outline sounded promising. But Harrelson overacts every scene and uses the annoying stereotyped mush-mouth drawl that made "The Cowboy Way" so unwatchable. His "Abraham" is presented as a sort of cult leader who appears to have healing powers and can cure sickness with a single touch. Hemsworth is Texas Ranger "David" and has a wife who immediately falls sick in Abraham's town and Abraham begins to tend to her a little too much. David notes that there are no Mexicans in the border town only to find that Abraham hates them, captures them and sells them to hunters who delight in tracking and killing them. Which fails to explain why Abraham is infatuated with David's wife, who is Mexican. We also never learn why she is infatuated with the crazed Abraham. Nor is the issue of Abraham's faith healing ever revisited in the film. It's as if by the second half of the film the writer forgot he put that in the first half. Ultimately David is forced to be hunted but given a rifle and bullets to make it interesting for the hunters. His first move is to shoot the man guarding the next batch of captured Mexicans and free them. But it never occurs to the Ranger to take the gun and ammo of that guard so he eventually runs out of bullets. And after he resolves the situation, the wounded Ranger rides off into the sunset (instead of returning to Ranger HQ) leaving his confused wife behind in the town we are subsequently told was abandoned. The movie gives the impression the script was written in about 10 minutes and was never double checked for continuity or even common sense.

Good Movie not a Western

[ajrg54 · 8/10 · 1 June 2017]

This is a good movie, but it is not a western. It takes place in the west and is a stylistic tale of a mystery thriller. Woody Harrelson is absolutely perfect as the head of a religious cult. Liam Hemsworth is fine as the somewhat amoral protagonist and his wife Alice Bragga does a fine job though either of the two could have been replaced by someone else but they are not bad. The story depends on atmosphere and they do a good job on that from beginning to end. The problem is if you go into it expecting a shoot em up tale of good and evil you will be disappointed. If you want to see a weird tale with strange twists that no one would have in 1950 this is your movie. More for those who like the twilight zone than John Wayne. I watched it twice, could see it again.

I'll admit it's a tad slow but luckily I don't mind slow

[nathanmanson · 6/10 · 28 April 2021]

The film is definitely a bit slow but I've seen a lot of reviews saying it's 'boring' but personally I think that's harsh. I think it's boring for people who don't like westerns and not that into films. I'm a massive film person and I've seen a lot of films in my time. There's obviously going to be slow films, not every film is going to be action every second. I feel a 6.5 would be perfect but IMDB still haven't introduced a .5 rating system yet. The people rating it 1 2 3 are just people who don't like westerns and know nothing about films so don't listen to them. I can guarantee all the people giving it really low reviews are people who have only done like 5 reviews in there life.

A disappointing western that had a chance to be good but was just too slow and boring for me to get invested in.

[cosmo_tiger · 5/10 · 25 July 2016]

"We cannot separate ourselves from sin anymore than we can sever a limb from our bodies." There has been a rash of unexplained deaths In the small town of Helena, Texas. With no clue as to what is going on, David Kingston (Hemsworth), a Ranger is sent to investigate. When he arrives he discovers some strange characters including Abraham (Harrelson). The more David investigates the more he questions what is happening. This is a movie that had a chance to be really good. The cast is A-list and the plot is interesting. Where the movie fails is the pacing. This is just agonizingly slow that it made it really hard to pay attention to and I was really starting to drift and lose interest in. There are some interesting parts in this but a lot of the drama was lost on me because I struggled to stay involved in what was going on. Overall, a disappointing western that had a chance to be good but was just too slow and boring for me to get invested in. I give this a C-.

Unfit for human viewing.

[ajepisode13 · 7 July 2017]

Over the past decade, there has been a resurgence in the Western. That is good news because this is a much-loved genre. However, when a film like THE DUEL comes along, we simply reverse to square one all over again. This is a miserable and unsatisfying excuse for a film. The viewer will find it difficult to cheer on any of the cast, simply because they are one-dimensional characters. It is not the fault of the actors, however. Blame lies entirely at the feet of the director. This is one helmsman who is totally amateurish in his approach, and I will do my best to avoid his features in the future. There is zero intrigue, suspense, characterization, interest nor due care here. The pace drags throughout. And the editing is amateurish also. Liam Hemsworth is a competent actor but even he struggles with his role - yet he is the best thing about the film. And as for Woody Harrelson...! He should receive an award for the Greatest Miscasting of the Year. He is downright hopeless in the role of the Mount Hermon emperor. This part requires an actor of strength and charisma. But poor Woody falls at every step. Don't misunderstand me, I like Woody Harrelson. But not in roles like this. Abysmal casting.