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240 reviews in total

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71 out of 81 people found the following review useful:
You won't believe it's Spielberg, 18 February 2004

Author: MovieAddict2009 from UK

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

We all get stuck behind them sometimes: The huge trucks blocking your lane, blowing diesel fumes and spraying rocks from the ground all over your windshield. You try to pass them but sometimes it's just no use--they won't move out of the way, no matter how hard you try to mentally will them to do so.

Steven Spielberg's "Duel" is just a simple movie about a traveling everyman who tries to pass a huge flammable truck on a state highway, and is then strangely stalked by this angered truck driver who seems to want him dead. The everyman is played by Dennis Weaver, and his character's name in the film is David Mann--a businessman driving across California for a business meeting who is desperately late and struggling to get around an obnoxious eighteen-wheeler blocking the highway. After he passes the trucker, it seems to trigger a sort of strange road rage game between the two men.

At first everything seems to be quite normal, but then the truck swerves around David's car and slows down its speed again, keeping David behind schedule and driving behind a bunch of nasty fumes. Frustrated with the driver's arrogance, David decides to swerve around the truck again, and he soon finds himself on his way down the road, far away from the truck driver.

But his escape is not quite so simple.

The key to "Duel" is that we never see the truck driver, just like we never saw the shark from "JAWS" in its entirety. The truck driver haunting Mann seems to be a simple man who just suddenly goes nuts. Sometimes the best villains are those given no motivational background--Michael Myers from "Halloween" was described as "evil" by his own doctor, apparently killing for no reason whatsoever, and the shark from "JAWS" seemed to be the materialization of some sort of demon from hell. Their intentions are not clear--and that makes the film carry an intriguing mystery about it that makes it all the more watchable on a repetitive basis.

I was never a very big fan of "The Hitcher," which ripped off "Duel" quite a bit. Both films essentially deal with supernatural, untouchable villains shrouded by a layer of mystery. We never found out very much about Rutger Hauer's character in "The Hitcher," or why he was doing what he was doing, but by introducing him to the audience it made us want to know more--and the film took the easy way out by just providing us with nothing whatsoever. Even after promising us that it would through the very mouth of Hauer's character. That's bad filmmaking.

Spielberg does something different: He avoids the truck driver altogether. Apart from seeing his legs and a brief glimpse of his silhouette, the truck driver is completely shrouded by a dark cloud of mystery and intrigue. Had he been shown rising out of the truck disaster at the end of the film, burning alive like The Terminator, then the effect would be somewhat laughable. Spielberg does something much greater and more fantastic--this could, in technical terms, be called his most elaborately staged and perfectly executed film, even if it isn't the best on an overall basis.

There's a great scene in "Duel" where Mann stops at a roadside diner and tries to analyze his situation. At that point in time anyone could be the villain--the guy eating a sandwich, the guy with cowboy boots having a soda, or even the woman standing by the exit. But we never know, and either does Mann, and it helps this film quite a bit. But what Spielberg does that is pure genius is showing us Mann's thoughts through voice-over narrative in a way it has never really been done before. We hear Mann talking to himself, but not in an aware way. It is as if we pick up his mental decisions and thoughts via the film--and it works magnificently.

You've probably seen "Speed" by now, and so you know its breakneck speed and thrills. Well, take "Speed," throw in a homicidal truck driver, and set it in the early 70s, and you've got yourself a clear idea of what "Duel" feels like while you're watching it. It's one of those give-me-a-moment-to-catch-my-breath films--intriguing and fast-paced from start to finish.

Indeed, "Duel" is an early sign of Spielberg before he went commercial--not that his films aren't good anymore, but they all seem to contain typical Spielberg trademarks. Here, Spielberg shows that he can be a Hitchcockian director--even "JAWS" was more mainstream-oriented than this film.

Originally filmed for ABC in 1971 and later re-released overseas with nineteen minutes of extended footage, "Duel" is indeed a milestone movie--a counter to the ancient mythology that TV movies aren't any good. They can be. Most of the time they just don't want to be. But thanks to an intriguing idea and a terrific young director behind the project, "Duel" stands as one of the most remarkable films of all time, a sign of great things to come in the career of an aspiring newbie director with not a single true project under his belt. This is Spielberg's breakthrough. He has surpassed it with projects such as "JAWS," the "Indiana Jones" trilogy and "Schindler's List," but to say this is one of his most well made and unconventional films is a gross understatement.

5/5.

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59 out of 68 people found the following review useful:
Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Go Back on the Highways..., 4 April 1999

Author: Donald J. Lamb from Philadelphia, PA

DUEL is Spielberg's JAWS of the highway, a raucous nascar race of a film that was "made for TV". Usually, the phrase made-for-TV makes me ill, but Universal TV executives had no clue what they had here. It was so good, the film got its fitting recognition in Europe, where it was released theatrically. Spielberg's own idol, director David Lean, praised the film's suspense and excitement. A testimonial from Sir David Lean is enough to get any career going. DUEL begins from the point of view of a driver, and never lets up. The fear Dennis Weaver encounters consists not only of the monster truck itself, which is on an unexpected death chase, but of the inability to see who (or what) is behind the wheel.

It seemed like a great episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE, and Rod Serling would've been proud. Speed kills and you may never pass a slow truck on the highway again after seeing this. There is no character development, no humor, no identifiable characters, but in this case, who cares? It is only 90 minutes long and Spielberg's goal is to make you tired. To make you experience what this everyday salesman is going through for NO apparent reason. Besides a shark in the ocean, I really can't think of another more frightful situation to be in.

The truck itself is sinister looking, almost resembling one from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. The only remnant of a human being in the truck is an arm. The arm waves much like the hitch-hiker in the famous TWILIGHT ZONE episode. Weaver is cheesy and silly looking in his Peter Fonda-esque shades, but it is a sign of the times. You don't necessarily find yourself rooting for him to escape alive. Basically, you are held prisoner by Spielberg's web of suspense, and stay wide-eyed the entire time. Great fun to watch on big or small screen.

RATING: 8 of 10

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52 out of 60 people found the following review useful:
Yeah, yeah, I know - another psychobabble analysis of Duel!, 13 May 2004
Author: porterhouse from Melbourne, Australia

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Sorry, don't have time or inclination to read all 121 other comments on 'Duel' - wish I had, but there you are. Therefore I apologise if I'm saying what has been said before. However, in looking through the first couple of pages of comments on this movie (the only movie I ever feel compelled to write about) I notice that everyone seems to deal with it as a basic 'truck-(or truck driver)-chases-man' thriller. Now, I'm told Mr Spielberg is supposed to have pooh-poohed any 'psychological' reading of this film, but let's imagine for a moment that he's playing a game with us there. What if he really did mean to bury the clues. It's been a while since I saw it (lucky for you, or I'd remember more details), but some of the salient points stay with me always. Mr Mann! Just a coincidence? Of course not. He's you and me, buddy. An average, henpecked, downtrodden guy in a dead-end job, driving the most average car imaginable, too cowed by his boss to stay home for his kid's birthday, yelling in frustrated agreement with the rednecked radio announcer rather than getting out of his car and telling the world where to get off. Because he can't - or won't. (Well, if he did that would be the end of our movie, wouldn't it?) Now, admit it or not, at some time we all have a monster in our lives, somewhere. Something that scares the Hell out of us, and no matter how hard we try to ignore it, or how fast we run, it's always there, waiting around the next corner. For Mann, the truck is this fear. He can't shake it, and he never will - not until he finally turns and faces it. That's why we don't see the driver (and don't need to), that's why the truck has no stand-out markings, that's why it seems to possess impossible power. That's also why it seems to have a life of its own, constantly breathing, wheezing, snorting, almost pawing at the ground when it finds him once more - even to the final moments when it 'dies' like a wounded dinosaur, flipping end-over-end, roaring and bellowing into the canyon, its 'tail' flipping and thrashing above it, its 'blood' finally dripping onto the steering wheel as it breathes its last, and silence finally falls. And go back a few moments: exactly how does Mann dispose of this monster? By taking his nicely monogrammed briefcase (note the CU of his initials in this shot - coincidence?) and wedging it against his boring little Dodge's accelerator pedal, before leaping clear and sending his entire world and identity into Hell. That's why we leave him sitting on the cliff-top in the setting sun. There's no need to see what happens next. It doesn't matter. He's done what he needed to do - he's now free to walk away and start a new life if he wishes, or go home to his family. Whatever. Mann is now in charge of his own destiny. Whenever I watch this movie (not so often these days) I find myself seeing all the myriad other clues that fit the jigsaw so neatly that it's hard to believe it's mere chance. Go take another look - especially if you've hated the damn thing until now. Even if I'm wrong, it makes a fascinating exercise.

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49 out of 56 people found the following review useful:
City-slicker's nightmare, 21 October 2003

Author: kintopf432 (kintopf432@hotmail.com) from St. Paul, MN

Gleefully sadistic little thriller. Though the young Mr. Spielberg's hand is evident in many places (the economic storytelling style, the visual wit), the film's tone probably owes more to screenwriter (and 'Twilight Zone' veteran) Richard Matheson. The story has all the itchy paranoia of Matheson's best work, with Dennis Weaver's fussy little city man confronted by Tex-Mex suspicion at best, and relentless, illogical horror at worst, as he travels from one oasis of civilization to another for an important meeting. 'Duel' is essentially a city-slicker's nightmare, concentrating collective fears of wilderness and the mad souls who choose to dwell there. But at the same time it lightly satirizes those urbanite attitudes, and Weaver's Mann is often made to look laughable, with his silly necktie, and his little Plymouth Valiant, and his prissy, civilized approach to his problem. Spielberg revels in the black comic elements of Matheson's narrative, and the result is the perfect suspense/thriller tone--one never knows whether to laugh or scream. If the story lags a bit towards the end, and if the conclusion is rather a simple one, the film is still a model of economy and tone, and it features one of the most memorable villains in suspense-film history--one that weighs forty tons. 9 out of 10.

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39 out of 43 people found the following review useful:
The ultimate car chase movie..., 9 August 2000
Author: keihan (keihan@usit.net)

Leave it to prosemaster extraordinaire, Richard Matheson (a favorite of mine and the man Stephen King acknowledges as being his biggest influence), to come up a premise so simple yet so believable and terrifying that the viewer will never look at an eighteen-wheeler the same way ever again...and leave it to cinematic wunderkind, Stephen Spielburg, to do right by Matheson's script and win acclaim in the bargain.

Though some may argue that "Bullit", "Vanishing Point", or maybe even the original "Gone in 60 Seconds" could be called the ultimate car chase movie, "Duel" deserves this designation better because it does something none of the above films can claim. The story literally starts on the road and ends on the road. No location in the entire film is ever out of sight of the highway and, in spite of the brief conversation with the wife, virtually nothing else happens outside the highway. For David Mann (played adequately enough by Dennis Weaver) and the monster truck he's trying to get away from, the road and everything alongside it is their entire universe. Nothing else of importance exists outside of it.

Though it's never mentioned in the film, this would seem to take place on the California highways. When I went out there about eight years ago, I went down roads that seemed to be not too dissimiliar to the ones shown here. They seemed to stretch on forever, no vestiges of civilization in sight for miles. Spielburg uses this setting to great advantage. Being in your car in a crowded city intersection is one thing, but on those highways with nothing but your car and a homicidal maniac in a diesel for miles? The isolation factor that cars naturally produce jumps up a thousand percent. The radiator hose problem made me think of many other times that I had similar troubles with cars I've had. Of course, I never had someone trying to kill me at the time, but...

Anyone looking for drama, character development, or all the other elements that pseudo-critics point out as the mark of cinematic excellence are liable to be disappointed by "Duel". It's what King described in "Danse Macabre" as a Tale of the Hook. It's only purpose is to scare the hell out of you. Damn if it doesn't work. THAT'S the mark of a classic.

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42 out of 54 people found the following review useful:
Hail on to the Truck driver ... truck driver FREAK!!, 8 October 2004

Author: Coventry from the Draconian Swamp of Unholy Souls

Steven Spielberg's first long feature film (sort of) may only just be a TV-movie, its influence, impact and entertainment value overwhelms the majority of big screen productions. The brilliance lies in the simple plot and the complete lack of background information you're denied. The film is a powerful collaboration between the superb writing skills of Richard Matheson (The Incredible Shrinking Man), the stunningly sublime cinematography by Jack Marta and the over talented vision of Steven Spielberg as a director. Duel easily is one of the ONLY movies ever made that'll keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning till end. What begins as an average day for salesman David Mann quickly turns into a merciless showdown between himself and a seemly driverless truck somewhere in a nearly forsaken countryside. The eerie shots of a giant, boisterous and filthy-looking truck versus the classy red Plymouth Valiant are the most tense road-rage images I ever beheld and they're guaranteed to make your blood pump faster!

The film is terrifically cut in half when the protagonist stops a roadside restaurant to analyze his uncanny situation. While recovering from the previous assault, Mann notices that the monstrous truck is also parked outside the diner so one of the unfriendly guests present there more than likely is his assaulter. This sequence, brilliantly illustrated by pan camera movements and atmospheric voice over sound, perfectly proves how an amazing director Spielberg is. Especially when you bear in mind he only was 26 at the time Duel was released and he mostly worked with a crew of veteran filmmakers. This simply is one of the most action-filled movies ever made and a timeless classic. THIS is how we like to see Spielberg! Giant monstrosity! Filthy trucks or man-eating sharks…not the over-sentimental and melodramatic crap he's delivering nowadays.

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24 out of 27 people found the following review useful:
One Helluva Ride, 1 September 2003
Author: Brian Washington (Sargebri@att.net) from Los Angeles, California

This film proves that television can produce a quality film. Much like Spielberg's first big theatrical hit, "Jaws", this film deals with a menace, the driver, that is pretty much unseen for most of the film. It also preys upon our fear of being caught in a desperate situation with no one around to help. Also, Dennis Weaver was perfectly cast as the unfortunate motorist that happens to be the prey of a psychotic truck driver. This definitely is a far cry from Weaver's most famous role of Marshall Sam McCloud, who was the typical hero compared to the terrified motorist he plays in this film. Too bad that we here in the United States never got a chance to see this great film in a theater like the rest of the world. This is definitely a classic suspense film.

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34 out of 48 people found the following review useful:
Psychological Thriller, 7 October 2004

Author: AndyPount from manchester, england

When i watch this film i get so involved that i actually think Is Dennis Weaver just imagining the truck or is it real? a few reasons for this are that when the bus driver stops him and asks him for a push he tells him about the truck but the bus driver doesn't know what he is on about, he says "no i didn't see any truck" is this all in the mind, is he going insane, is he already insane, is it a dream?? this is why it is such a great film, it leaves you asking questions. Endless dessert road that he is driving on it just adds to the chilly creepy theme of the film and the narrating throughout also keeps your attention and keeps you thinking and this is where i had this theory of David actually maybe he is already insane or is going insane, i mean why in the hell would a truck driver want to chase and kill a man only because he overtook him on a road also i truck going as fast as that i mean it wouldn't happen.. This is definitely a classic, one of those films that are not being made anymore, this film has influence in other films such as Jeepers Creepers etc..

The best scene in the film is the cafe scene, overall watch this classic if you have not already!!

9/10

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21 out of 27 people found the following review useful:
Road Rage, Spielberg style., 3 November 2004
Author: jaywriterXIII from USA

From the opening credits, where we see a POV of David Mann's car pulling out of his driveway off to who-knows-where, the viewer knows their in for something special. Indeed, Duel is something special. It's essentially a 90 minute chase with the occasional brief intermissions for scenery change. This could get old really quick, and indeed it does get old . . . but I can't help but watch in amazement and observe how long Spielberg kept me engaged in just two vehicles on open roads.

And interestingly enough, ten minutes after the film started boring me it recaptured my interest for the breathtaking finale.

After Duel, the Creeper truck and the semi from JoyRide are pushovers. This is the Freddy Krueger of vehicles, and the truck (not its driver) is treated as the bad guy. I particularly loved when the truck was shot in silhouette through the tunnel - beautiful and haunting composition. Also the shots where the camera pulls around Mann's car and travels parallel up along the truck – simply put, 'awesome cinematography.' The high number of interesting shots (on location, no less) of the truck chasing Mann is what really drives this film forward. It takes a long time for this particular flair and flavor of film to get boring.

Dennis Weaver plays his part of David extremely well; unfortunately, I didn't much care for the spineless middle-class Joe-shmo character on the page. I think part of my dislike comes from those annoying internal monologues that were totally unnecessary. It's always been a cheap gimmick in my mind, and Weaver truly communicates those emotions without the added soundtrack. Still, despite a character that I did not like, Duel managed to keep me engaged in the story . . . strangely enough.

Earlier I spoke of brief intermissions from the chase; notice I didn't say the tension is eased up here. Spielberg finds ways to lace these breathers with suspense through the presence of the truck (still, more to do with the truck itself than the driver). And really, it's through these intermissions that we meet other (very colorful) characters who make quite an impact considering their bit parts (then again, maybe it's due to the fact that juxtaposed to an empty desert any character is colorful).

I appreciate the lack of any real information, lack of a motive, lack of background story on Mann, very little info (if any) on Mann's destination. I do, however, think Spielberg went just a bit too far with the ambiguity; however, that's a very minor complaint that I don't care to dwell on. Sure a few points needed to be touched on more, but then again the Freddy Krueger of diesel trucks is chasing you, are you really going to stop and ask it a question?

I wish the character emotions had taken the same route instead of feeding the audience those redundant internal monologues. Oh well, there's a fun contrast for you.

In my review of T3, I wrote 'I wonder what director will be the first to direct the very first film composed solely of one action scene?' Spielberg comes pretty damn close, and the funny thing is his 60+ minutes of chase footage is more interesting than the new millennium's 10+ minute chases. Rock on Steven!

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19 out of 24 people found the following review useful:
A Genius Is Born, 12 May 2007

Author: Claudio Carvalho from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

While traveling through the desert for an appointment with a client, the businessman David Mann (Dennis Weaver) from California passes a slow and old tanker truck. The psychotic truck driver feels offended and chases David along the empty highway trying to kill him.

In the 70's, in Rio de Janeiro, most of the teenagers like me watched the impressive movie of a new and promising director called Steven Spielberg. On the beach, in school, in bars, everybody in Rio commented the story of a crazy truck driver that chases a common man in his car along the lonely roads through the desert. Thirty-six years later, I have just watched "Duel" on DVD with my son and it is fantastic to see how this movie has not aged. The tense and suspenseful story consists basically of a storyline, without development of characters, one actor, two stunts, lots of action and a magnificent work of direction and edition. One amazing detail is that all the afflictive and credible situation happens on the day light, i.e., Spielberg does not need to use the usual fear of the night to create a stunning tale of horror and fear, showing his talent of genius in his worldwide debut. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Encurralado" ("Trapped")

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