AllMovie

To avoid getting offended just keep repeating "It's only a social satire...it's only a social satire...it's only a social satire.... Of course, this mantra may not justify the existence of a black comedy based on the Columbine High School massacre in the eyes of many viewers, although, upon closer inspection, directors William Hellfire and Joey Smack's over-the-top exercise in bad taste isn't nearly as offensive as one might imagine. In interviews pertaining to the film, both directors have repeatedly driven home the fact that in the days following the tragedy at Columbine High School, the overeager media descended upon the town of Littleton, CO, with the subtlety of the shooters themselves -- an act that could rightly be considered just as sensationalist or exploitive as his unapologetic, in-your-face feature, given the fragile state of the victims and their families at the time. Is there really any difference in a so-called "artist" such as Gus Van Sant offering his take on the massacre as opposed to Smack and Hellfire -- regardless of the former's comparatively subtle approach? In the latter's eyes, exploitation is exploitation, pure and simple, and the motivations behind any media portrayal of the events at Columbine High School always come back to money -- regardless as to whether the media entity presenting the tragedy admits to it or not. Though the sub-Troma quality of the production and performances by the majority of the cast ultimately prevent Duck! from being taken as seriously as it could be with a bit more polish, this is also what makes it infinitely less objectionable than it could be had the filmmakers went for a grander scale. Viewers may be surprised, however, to find that, as the film winds to its blood-soaked finale, Smack and Hellfire do seem to be trying to make some sort of genuine commentary on the motivations of the young gunmen and the situation in the media. Lying on the bed recovering from the relentless beating by his fellow students, Hellfire's character poignantly relates his plight to his only confidant with an honesty rarely seen in mainstream cinema. Of course, this is the farthest thing from mainstream cinema, and the unapologetic Smack and Hellfire simply wouldn't have it any other way.