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Dual
2022 95 min Canada, Finland, United States of America, United Kingdom R 16+
★6.1
Science Fiction, Comedy, Drama
Director: Riley Stearns
Trailers
EN
EN
Teaser
EN
Description
A terminally ill woman opts for a cloning procedure to ease her loss on her friends and family. When she makes a miraculous recovery, her attempts to have her clone decommissioned fail and lead to a court-mandated duel to the death.
Budget:
$4.5M
US Gross:
$185,212
Starring
Karen Gillan
Actor
Aaron Paul
Actor
Beulah Koale
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 2022
— Best Independent Film
Key opinion
Dual is a polarizing, deadpan satirical film that functions more as an existential dark comedy than a traditional science fiction thriller. While many viewers appreciate its unique tone and thematic exploration of identity, others find the deliberate, robotic acting and thin plot logic to be hollow and emotionally alienating.
| Acting | Karen Gillan's understated and robotic performance serves as the grounding force that anchors the film's clinical, satirical tone. | |
| Originality | The film deliberately defies genre expectations, subverting the tropes of action-heavy dystopian sci-fi in favor of a dry, Kafkaesque social study. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay presents a high-concept premise that succeeds in exploring themes of self-abandonment and existential apathy but fails to provide a logical or satisfying resolution to its core narrative conflicts. | |
| Pacing | The deliberate, minimalist pacing and emotionally detached directing style engage thoughtful viewers of art-house cinema while leaving others bored or frustrated by a perceived lack of momentum. | |
| Humor | The film's use of deadpan, dry humor is divisive, creating an atmosphere that some experience as hilariously absurd and others perceive as pointlessly hollow or poorly executed. |