Duel

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Duel

TV-PG

1971

1h 35m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

46 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

David Mann (Dennis Weaver), a mild mannered electronics salesman, is driving cross-country on a two-lane highway when he encounters an old oil tanker driven by an unseen driver who seems to enjoy annoying him with dangerous antics on the road. Unable to escape the demonic big rig, David finds himself in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the monstrous truck. When the pursuit escalates to deadly levels, David must summon his inner warrior and turn the tables on his tormentor.

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Critics Consensus

Duel makes brilliant use of its simple premise, serving up rock-solid genre thrills while heralding the arrival of a generational talent behind the lens.

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Mitchell Beaupre

Little White Lies

This is a film stripped back to its bare essentials, and Spielberg thrives in having to get creative to make each moment feel as fresh and energised as the last.

Rated: 4.5/5

Sep 22, 2022

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Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

A shoestring marvel.

Rated: 4/5

May 29, 2021

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Mick LaSalle

San Francisco Chronicle

This simple premise -- a killer truck stalks a driver -- becomes the basis for an exceptionally fraught and well- made suspense film.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 14, 2018

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William Stottor

Loud and Clear Reviews

Duel is one hell of a ride and Spielberg at his finest—playful, refined and above all else, entertaining.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 11, 2024

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Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

Duel might not have meant much at the time of its ABC premiere but cinephiles owe a lot to the film because it launched Steven Spielberg's professional career as a feature filmmaker.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 23, 2022

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

Famous for being Spielberg's first big break, it deserves to be remembered better in its own right.

Rated: 8/10

Jan 26, 2021

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Farah R

Steven Spielberg's first movie shows the director's exceptional vision for creating masterpieces. Duel is a tense, suspenseful ride from start to finish, sparing no second of dullness.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/22/25

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Steven J

Nostalgic, ridiculous, and hilarious. The acting is so amusing, Denis Weaver’s horror is hysterical. It’s amazing how entertaining this movie is considering the lack of technology and, I assume, a modest budget. The movie wholly relies on a solid plot, creativity, and convincing acting.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/25/25

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Milos C

Absolute masterpiece.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/02/24

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Brad CKA L

https://youtu.be/61v7CpNIahM?si=1x8pCQIA0Lyj1X1V

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/25/24

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Austen B

car good, truck bad. awesome! favorite thriller.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/16/24

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Jacob B

While I do think it's obvious that this is still a first attempt at a proper feature film with the similar-in-spirit Jaws being much more refined, Steven Spielberg still made a good impression with Duel. It's suspenseful, tense and likely to cause paranoia about giant trucks. I think the sense of isolation adds to it. I have a feeling I would've liked the film much more if I saw the original made-for-TV version rather than the theatrical version, which adds 14 minutes of additional footage. It blends in well with the rest of the film but I can't help but wonder if the tension was stronger without a scene where the protagonist has to help push a school bus. Still a good, memorable thriller but not the immediate masterpiece some make it out to be, even if it is important for helping put Steven Spielberg's name on the map 4 years before Jaws permanently established him as a force to be reckoned with.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/12/24

Full Review

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Synopsis

David Mann (Dennis Weaver), a mild mannered electronics salesman, is driving cross-country on a two-lane highway when he encounters an old oil tanker driven by an unseen driver who seems to enjoy annoying him with dangerous antics on the road. Unable to escape the demonic big rig, David finds himself in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the monstrous truck. When the pursuit escalates to deadly levels, David must summon his inner warrior and turn the tables on his tormentor.

Director: Steven Spielberg
Producer: George Eckstein
Screenwriter: Richard Matheson
Production Co: Universal TV
Rating: TV-PG (L), PG
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2015
Runtime: 1h 35m

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