Dual movie review

MOVIE TITLE: DUAL

Available now on streaming

RATING: R

LENGTH: 1 hour 34 minutes

IN A NUTSHELL:

Upon receiving a terminal diagnosis, Sarah opts for a cloning procedure to ease her loss on her friends and family. When she makes a sudden and miraculous recovery, her attempts to have her clone decommissioned fail and lead to a court-mandated duel to the death. Now she has one year to train her body and mind for the fight of her life.

THINGS I LIKED:

I’ve been a fan of Karen Gillian ever since I saw her in the first Guardians of the Galaxy. I really wanted this film to be good for her. Sadly, most viewers are going to be underwhelmed. She does a great job contrasting the two characters with her physical demeanor. Good for her for starring in her own feature film. I hope to see more of her!
Great opening scene.
The movie was filmed in Finland during the pandemic.
The Hip Hop dance lesson scene was cute.
The themes of self-identity, imposter syndrome, and jealousy are intriguing.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

Despite an intriguing opening sequence, Act 1 is extremely slow. The entire movie is a slow burn with an underwhelming resolution.
The humor is very dry and satirical.
Sadly, Theo James is only in the very first scene of the entire movie.
I understand that Sarah’s robotic personality serves to illustrate symbolic themes in the movie, yet many viewers will just be bored and not get it.
If the first scene gets you excited, don’t hold your breath for more of the same.