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‘The Tourist’ Viewers Slam Show For ‘Ripping Off’ Steven Spielberg Movie

The Tourist viewers have slammed the show for supposedly 'ripping off' the Steven Spielberg TV movie, Duel. 
Credit: BBC via YouTube

The Tourist viewers have slammed the show for supposedly ‘ripping off’ the Steven Spielberg movie, Duel

The new six-part series arrived on BBC on New Year’s Day and features Fifty Shades Of Grey star Jamie Dornan.

The synopsis reads: “A British man who finds himself in the glowing red heart of the Australian outback is being pursued by a vast tank truck trying to drive him off the road.

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“An epic cat-and-mouse chase unfolds and the man later wakes in hospital, hurt, but somehow alive. Except he has no idea who he is.

“With merciless figures from his past pursuing him, the man’s search for answers propels him through the vast and unforgiving outback.”

Following the first episode’s broadcast, many took to Twitter to compare the drama, which was written by the creators of The Missing and Baptiste, to the Spielberg movie. 

The opening scene of The Tourist, which sees Dornan’s character being chased by a lorry, is the exact plot of Spielberg’s 1971 movie, starring Dennis Weaver.

One person asked: “Why is the opening of The Tourist a rip off of the 70’s film Duel?”

Another added: “Well 10 minutes into The Tourist on #BBCOne and it’s an absolute dead pinch of the Steven Spielberg film Duel with Dennis Weaver!”

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A third mused: “I quite enjoyed the first episode of The Tourist, clearly the opening sequence was heavily inspired by Duel though.”

“I hope there’s more to The Tourist than the plot of Duel,” a fourth commended.

However, others heaped praise on the BBC programme, with one saying: “Binge-watch complete. What a brilliant drama that was #TheTourist.”

A second added: “Didn’t mean to binge #TheTourist but is bloody brilliant so I had to. Give it a try you won’t regret it. BBC drama kicking off the New Year with a belter!”

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Written by Aimee Walker

Aimee is a senior content editor at IGV who specialises in finding the best original stories, trending topics and entertainment news. She graduated from Birmingham City University with a degree in Media and Communications.