Get Duked! is a genre mashing delight

© Amazon Studios

The comedy aspect of the film outshines the horror elements of the movie.
by Justin Moore

Amazon Studio’s latest film, Get Duked!, is a genre mash-up of two of my favorite type of movies: comedy and horror. Many films have been successful at blending both genres like Shaun of the Dead and Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil.

Get Duked! features four teens who trek through the Scottish Highlands as part of the Duke of Edinburgh. An award is given to teenagers who can hike through the highlands. One of the teenagers is eager to participate in the event but the other three are forced to join. Let’s say it’s a punishment. As the four teenagers are making their way through the Scottish Highlands, they encounter a couple who wants to hunt the teens for game. A modern Most Dangerous Game if you will.

Get Duked! is funnier than it is scary. The comedy aspect of the film outshines the horror elements of the movie. The film had plenty of intense moments sprinkled throughout the film as the four teens were trying their hardest to come up with creative ways to survive. The Duke (Eddie Izzard) and the Duchess (Georgie Glen) are the hunters, who are mistaken for the Duke of Edinburgh by the teens as they ask him for assistance when they encounter him. Instead they get shot at. The pair hunts them throughout the movie, which makes the film entertaining because the four teens severely lack any survival skills. The movie doesn’t get overly violent but instead maintains the intensity throughout.

The four teens add up for a lot of humor in the film. One character that stands out was inspiring rapper DJ Beatroot, who will try anything to get famous, which includes making random rap videos in the fields or performing a concert to people on drugs. The whole cast works together well with a lot of great performances from the teens. Eddie Izzard gives a terrifying performance as the Duke who seems oddly calm at the idea of hunting teens in an open field. There are a lot of running jokes that carry throughout the film all the way to the crazy finale.

Get Duked! had a style that could easily be compared to films by Edgar Wright. It had a quick pace with a lot of quick cuts and overly stylized moments. Towards the end of the film, a teen takes hallucinogens and the film provides a lot of colorful graphics on screen which continues to add the already outrageous satire. Get Duked! was highly satisfying with a great mashup of two fun genres. Director Ninian Doff, who is a first-time director, has a lot of potential in film if he can continue to create unique genre bending movies.