_**“Are you an assassin?” “I’m a Texas Ranger.” “You’re neither.”**_

In 1888, a government agent (Liam Hemsworth) is sent to investigate a town in east Texas and its mystic leader (Woody Harrelson) as to why people from south of the border wind up missing there. Alice Braga (Marisol) and Felicity Price (Naomi) appear on the female front, both striking in different ways.

“The Duel” (2016) is a well-made atmospheric Western with Hemsworth stalwart as the protagonist and Harrelson superb in the Kurtz-like role. As with “The Long Riders” (1980), it shows that a quality Western can be made in the East. “Long Riders” was shot in Georgia while this one was filmed in Mississippi, about 220 miles east of the Texas border. It’s reminiscent of “The Proposition” (2005) with the story being transferred from northeastern Australia to southeastern United States.

Unlike “Apocalypse Now” there’s zero build-up of suspense as the ‘Kurtz’ character is fully revealed right out of the gate, not to mention the proceedings just aren’t that compelling. They’re rather tedious actually.

Worse, you get the LIEberal narrative shoved down your throat that people of color are “oppressed” in America by racist white Christians and only the government can save them. Yeah, that’s why immigrants of all ethnicities from all over the world have been constantly pouring into the USA by the millions since its founding, legally and illegally. The scriptwriter needs to open up an honest history book.

The movie runs 1 hour, 50 minutes, and was shot in Greenwood, Mississippi,

GRADE: C-/D+