For years now, New Zealand has been building a reputation for itself as masters of the quirky independent comedy horror. Films such as Housebound, Dead, Come to Daddy, and Loop Track are prime examples, with Michael Duignan’s The Paragon the latest addition to the continuing trend.
Tennis player, Dutch (Benedict Wall), has his life changed forever after being the victim of a hit-and-run. The accident results in Dutch living with a mangled leg that has ruined his athletic career. HIs new way of life has Dutch frustrated and angry at the world. His life is consumed by finding the identity of the driver and punishing them for what they have done to him. After finding an advert, Dutch decides to learn how to be psychic from the rather strange Lyra (Florence Noble). Lyra claims that, with her teachings, Dutch will be able to track down the car, and in turn, the driver. Dutch jumps in headfirst, but this is only the start of his adventure.
Whilst the plot on paper could lend itself to a variety of sub-genres of horror, from torture to revenge, the decision to root it in comedy is genius. Featuring that wry humour that audiences have come to expect from New Zealand, The Paragon never concerns itself with being taken too seriously. Right from the opening moments during which Dutch tries to sell the audience on the art of knife tennis, The Paragon wears its quirky and silly heart on its sleeve. The result is a film whose pace races by, due in part to the viewer being too distracted trying to catch their breath from all the laughing. Every member of the cast has exceptional comedy timing and the script is full of unexpected zingers and some delightfully odd montages and diet recommendations. Of everything though, it is the pairing of Benedict Wall and Florence Noble that really makes The Paragon work. The two make a wonderful comedy duo and have the audience in hysterics whenever on screen.
It is not all fun and games in The Paragon however, with Michael Duignan having sneakily inserted a strong emotional core into his film. Whilst the audience is distracted by blue food, and Noble’s deadpan delivery, Duignan builds in layers to both Dutch and Lyra. As The Paragon progresses, both characters evolve and neither is the same by the time the credits roll. Their intertwined journey leads to a smattering of highly emotive scenes which will see viewers unexpectedly switch from tears of laughter to tears of melancholy. Playing emotions in such a way is a fantastic skill to have, and one can only hope that Duignan uses it to even more devastating effect in whatever project comes next.
The Paragon
Summary
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.
The Paragon was reviewed at Celluloid Screams 2024.
