Get Duked! – Movie Reviews by Ry!
Get Duked! – The Youthful Hunt: A Satire from the Highlands
Exploration of society through satire is an interesting dynamic found in many stories of any medium. When looking at generalization of life through heighten awareness, it creates something unique for the audience. In this latest review, I look at a British satire that pushes the conflicts of society through the eyes of adolescences. Get Duked provides a journey that entraps ideas into an unpredictable adventure. Even with a slow start, Get Duked brings new meaning to the awkwardness of adolescents.
The story follows four boys that embark on a famous trek through the Scottish Highlands. On their own, they must find a path to self-discovery while trying to survive nature and a huntsman. In the beginning, the director provides the foundation for the characters, setting and overall plot. The combination is pushed through the stylings of British humor. The methodical pacing provides a window into the indifference of British society through the eyes of four dysfunctional youths. Left with only one options, they embark on achieving the Duke of Edinburgh award. As the begin the hike, the four provide a focal point of the adventure through blunt humor and awkward dialogue. The massaging of modern sense helps shine a light on the youthful angst against traditional norms, leading to subtle connections and colorful antics of comradery. The ensemble cast adds flavor that levels the ‘adolescents against tradition’ mantra within typical slapstick and dry/blunt humor. As the boys move through the highlands, it leads into an unexpected encounter of a psychotic huntsman. His random attacks bring not only a physical conflict, but it also provides a satirical look at norms/values against the changing of youth. The unpredictability of this ‘wildcard’ creates situations of general foolery and mishaps within scenes of societal conjecture. The struggle within circumstance forces the boys to see their flaws, showing a path of self-discovery. This allows for some typical tropes to feel relevant, creating an adventure that is funny but scary.
As the story moves into the second half, the adventure brings the boys into more random situations. The world expands to include more ancillary characters, leading to circumstances that push the satire to another extreme. With nothing but their wits and innocence, it leads to infusion of situations that force the comedy and horror to overlap. The contrasting of elements helps create another level of dark humor that leads to strong moments of character growth. The aspects are relative within the ideas of ‘new vs. old’, but it is still leveled against the simple complexion of cultural zeitgeist. As everything comes to head, it leads into a climax that brings indifference to the ideas of convenience. This leads to an epilogue of typical hijinks of the boys’ adventure into the highlands. Get Duked is a British Comedy that infuses elements of horror to create a genuine fun ride. If you’re a fan of these kinds of comedies or like satire, this is a film for you. It is available on Amazon Prime, but it would be a fun time at the theaters.
Full Score – 3.5 out of 5 (Matinee)