Review Written for clapperltd.co.uk
Get Duked! stands as the first feature film from Writer/Director Ninian Doff who, as well as being behind various commercials and short films, has had great success directing numerous music videos. With Get Duked! Doff blends a music video aesthetic with a hilarious romp through the Scottish Highlands, delivering an incredibly exciting debut feature that is ferociously entertaining.
Embarking on their Duke of Edinburgh award, a group of four teenage boys must trek across the Scottish Highlands while attempting to build upon Teamwork, Orienteering and Foraging to achieve the award. What starts as a seemingly ordinary teen camping comedy quickly takes a turn when they begin to be hunted down by the Duke of Edinburgh himself (Eddie Izzard), forcing the four boys to tackle the award in a whole new way. Meanwhile two police officers played by Kate Dickie and Kevin Guthrie are hot on their heels, as a report of a terrorist threat has been reported in the highlands. From blood and gore, to drugs and cuppa soups, Get Duked! takes its simple premise and out right sprints with it.
With great performances from the four boys, (Lewis Gribben, Rian Gordon, Viraj Juneja, Samuel Bottomley), who are all given dramatically different characters from one another, thus allowing the comedy to feel completely natural. Samuel Bottomley’s Ian is at odds with the other three, as the only member of the group participating in the award willingly, rather than as a punishment for misbehaviour. All four truly come into their own, with each of them given distinct personality traits thanks to the wonderfully wacky script from Doff which delivers on continuous laughs with some incredible visuals gags as well as the banter between the cast.
The use of the Scottish Highlands as a setting works as a perfect backdrop for the surreal plot, while also coming as one of a few films that, although being set in Scotland, does not concern itself with Scottish identity politics.
It is difficult not to compare the visual style that Doff and cinematographer Patrick Meller create within the film to the incredibly iconic style of Edgar Wright. The editing can at times be rapid, with quick zooms and text being imposed upon the frame much like what was seen in The World’s End. However, Get Duked! manages to have its own distinct voice. Doff and crew know when to allow the visuals to flair; at times scenes are set against an excellent use of music from Run The Jewells as well as some hilarious and catchy original music written for DJ Beatroot (Viraj Juneja), once again brining many laugh-out-loud moments. Everything comes together to play up to the films surreal and wacky tone, resulting in a film that pulls every punch it can to make the audience laugh.
Delivering one of the funniest and most stylish comedy films in recent memory, while also adding in just the right amount of millennial frustration toward an ever condescending ‘boomer’ generation, Get Duked! is destined to become a cult classic, and stands as one of 2020’s best features.