The Paragon

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2:17

The Paragon

2024

1h 23m

Comedy

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8 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Do you want to see the unseen? Dutch (Benedict Wall) may look like just another defeated and washed-up loser, but behind his pissed-off exterior lurks a hyperdimensional being of exceptional promise. His wife left him, his career as a tennis coach is floundering, and he would give anything to find the driver of the silver Toyota Corolla who hit him and drove off a year ago--the event that initiated Dutch's downward spiral. Enter Lyra (Florence Noble), a witchy disciplinarian who offers to help Dutch unleash his latent psychic powers and break free from the illusion of linear time. After a crash course in telelocation and astral projection, the unlikely psionic prodigy is ready for his quest of cosmic revenge, but Lyra has other plans: she needs Dutch's help to find a mysterious crystal known as the Paragon before it falls into the hands of her evil brother Haxan (Jonny Brugh) and his mind slaves. Everything converges towards the singularity in Michael Duignan's feature debut, a hilarious rift in space-time.

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Isaac Feldberg

RogerEbert.com

It’s hard to find much fault with a film so sincere about being this silly, and Duignan’s earnest channeling of his ’80s influences is arguably closer to them in both spirit and sensibility than films made on far larger budgets.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 6, 2024

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Richard Whittaker

Austin Chronicle

There are some traces of their low budget tokusatsu lunacy in Dutch and Lyra’s adventures in hyperdimensional consciousness, but it’s played out with a droll restraint that can be a little much.

Rated: 2/5

Sep 5, 2024

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Mikal CG

Film Threat

If you like comedy, fantasy, human emotion, and well-made indie films, do check out The Paragon.

Rated: 8/10

Jan 21, 2025

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Kat Hughes

THN

The Paragon is the latest in the trend of quirky spooky New Zealand comedies that announces writer and director Michael Duignan as a talent to watch.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 1, 2024

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Jennie Kermode

Eye for Film

A small film capable of generating some big laughs.

Rated: 3.5/5

Sep 6, 2024

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Mark Dujsik

Mark Reviews Movies

Bringing all sorts of mythology ... into the mix ... eventually takes over what's a pretty grounded story—relatively speaking, of course.

Rated: 2/4

Sep 6, 2024

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Stephen G

Offbeat. Fun. Somehow pulls it off.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/29/25

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Jason S

This was just a fun, goofy movie with some heart. The two leads do a great job in their roles, and it’s the perfect length at 87 minutes.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/26/25

Full Review

Stephen C

It's off-the-wall fun - great to see what a low-budget film can do with verve and imagination, and a dose of craziness.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/24/25

Full Review

John C

Often absurd and occasionally profound, it brought me back to the 90s feel of indie films. Charming soundtrack and refreshingly understated acting.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/07/25

Full Review

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Michael Duignan

Director

Benedict Wall

Dutch

Florence Noble

Lyra

Michelle Ang

Beth

Jessica Grace Smith

Emily

Jonny Brugh

Haxan

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The Paragon: Trailer 1

2:17

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Synopsis

Do you want to see the unseen? Dutch (Benedict Wall) may look like just another defeated and washed-up loser, but behind his pissed-off exterior lurks a hyperdimensional being of exceptional promise. His wife left him, his career as a tennis coach is floundering, and he would give anything to find the driver of the silver Toyota Corolla who hit him and drove off a year ago--the event that initiated Dutch's downward spiral. Enter Lyra (Florence Noble), a witchy disciplinarian who offers to help Dutch unleash his latent psychic powers and break free from the illusion of linear time. After a crash course in telelocation and astral projection, the unlikely psionic prodigy is ready for his quest of cosmic revenge, but Lyra has other plans: she needs Dutch's help to find a mysterious crystal known as the Paragon before it falls into the hands of her evil brother Haxan (Jonny Brugh) and his mind slaves. Everything converges towards the singularity in Michael Duignan's feature debut, a hilarious rift in space-time.

Director: Michael Duignan
Producer: Michael Duignan, Lissy Turner
Screenwriter: Michael Duignan
Distributor: Doppelgänger Releasing
Production Co: Our Invisible College
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 6, 2024, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.8K
Runtime: 1h 23m

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