DUAL (available on DVD and Blu-ray July 19) follows a terminally diagnosed patient, Sarah (Karen Gillan), who opts for a cloning procedure the ease her loss to 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.
DUAL stars Karen Gillan (Guardians of the Galaxy Franchise), Beulah Koale (“Hawaii: Five-0”) with Theo James (Divergent franchise) and Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad”). DUAL is the third feature film by writer / director Riley Stearns, known for his previous critically acclaimed films, The Art of Self-Defense and Faults.
The double concept in DUAL is fascinating and creepy, yet the film doesn't dig deep enough into the philosophical neuances. We've probably been spoiled as of late with shows that stream like 10-hour movies, often exploring these ideas in depth (like Black Mirror for instance). Karen Gillan (Oculus, Jumanji, Guardians of The Galaxy) does an excellent job in her performance of the "dual" role—herself and her own copy.
I'm also a fan of Aaron Paul (Trent), and his presence in this movie is a bonus for any fan of Paul's. He always brings an interesting mix of humor and intensity to his roles. This film is no different.
DUAL could have benefitted from deeper exploration into the science and psychology of the subject matter. However, sci-fi, thriller, and some horror fans will want to check this one out, even if it's to watch another strong performance from Gillan. It's quirky and a bit disjointed, and maybe that was the ultimate goal. This might have worked better as a limited series on Netflix or Amazon Prime, combined with some script and editing polish.