Spoilers think the odds are not in our favour.

We’re going for a stab – or perhaps, it would be better to say, we’re taking a shot – at the gun-obsessed culture and the ultra-religious with this rather dark feature that hits the mark way too close to home. This a satire that’s scarily accurate in how it portrays a dystopian near future that could easily become a reality. As much as I’d like to see this film in the mainstream theatre chains, I also fear its anti-establishment look and feel will make it difficult.

The School Duel (2025) is directed by Todd Wiseman, Jr. Welcome to the Free State of Florida, where gun control is outlawed and people mow their lawns with a side arm strapped to their waist. Sammy (Kue Lawrence) goes to his state-funded Christian school, where he’s bullied every day and dreams of becoming part of the School Duel. His devout mother (Christina Brucato) only wants the best for him, but she’d rather he stayed away from such ideas. Too bad his handler (Micheal Sean Tighe) thinks he’s fit for the part. However, at 13 years old, he no longer needs consent from his mother.

The School Duel, as we learn, is a state-funded event where each school sends a golden boy to participate in a round of kill-or-be-killed games done with a random weapon and live ammunition. The entire event is blessed by the presence of the Governor (Oscar Nuñez). How and why young Sammy ends up in the short list I’ll let you discover by yourself. Suffice to say, this will end up bad regardless of outcome.

Strongly recommended for mature audiences. Yes, this one will be a hard watch and a tough pill to swallow. A few uncomfortable truths are necessary to depict violence, and that includes violence itself. Worth a watch if you are paying taxes, voting or living anywhere in this planet.

That will do for now.