“The Last Duel” Review
(Left) Le Gris (Adam Driver) and Sir Jean (Matt Damon) prepare to engage in the titular fight in “The Last Duel.”
2021 has been a resounding relief for me and the movies. Last year I was paranoid that people would become so used to watching new films on streaming that theaters would go away completely. I’m glad that the box office results of 2021’s many great films have proved me wrong. However, there are still some films that have flown under the radar and last weekend’s release of “The Last Duel” is among them by proving to be one of the best medieval epics in a very long time.
Set in 1386 France, the film concerns one of the last government sanctioned duels in France and the events that led to it. The duel is commissioned when Sir Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) challenges squire Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) after Carrouges’ wife Marguerite (Jodie Comer) accuses Le Gris of raping her. But Marguerite’s quest for justice comes at a cost because, not only do the men of the clergy and monarchy doubt her, but she faces being burned alive if her husband loses the duel.
What really makes this film more than a standard film about knights and honor is the way the story is told. The film is told in three chapters each from the perspective of Sir Jean, Jacques and Marguerite which show us how they know each other and the act that sparked this duel.
“The Last Duel” will, no doubt, draw comparison to the 1951 classic “Rashomon” which shows different people recounting the murder of a samurai before revealing what actually happened. It’s a brilliant way to tell this story because this film is all about Marguerite trying to convince people of the truth in a world that seems content to disbelieve women, something that is sadly still relevant.
Each perspective, despite showcasing many of the same scenes, feel fresh because they have a different tone depending on who’s telling the story. The truth according to Sir Jean is that he’s an honorable man who has had many things that were promised to him, like land and titles, taken away by Count Pierre d’Alencon (Ben Affleck) and instead given to Le Gris. Now that Le Gris has not only dishonored him, but violated his wife, Sir Jean has no choice but to fight.
Le Gris’ perspective is much different because he views himself as in love with Marguerite and thinks her to be trapped in a loveless relationship. Believing their encounter to be consensual, he views her cries for help as “playing hard to get.”
But it’s Marguerite’s story, which the film confirms is what actually happened, that is truly captivating as not only did Le Gris rape her, but her husband is less concerned about her own well being and more about his honor. By the time the climatic duel happens, you’re completely invested. Not because you care about Sir Jean or Le Gris, but because you don’t want anything bad to happen to Marguerite.
Jodie Comer’s performance as Marguerite is the best in the film and the way she tries to speak the truth in a time that doesn’t value women is captivating.
But, there’s a looming tragedy in the story. Even if Marguerite is found innocent, it’s clear that she isn’t the only woman who has been raped and her story is one of thousands that never saw the light of day.
The screenplay was written by Nicolo Holofcener (writer of “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”), Matt Damon and Ben Affleck and, come the next Academy Awards, this story is more than worthy of a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. What people may not realize is that this is Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s first time writing a screenplay together since their Oscar-winning story “Good Will Hunting” and it’s a welcomed return from this creative friendship.
With a cast including Matt Damon, Adam Driver and Ben Affleck, it’s clear that “The Last Duel” is full of some of today’s best actors. But it’s Jodie Comer’s mesmerizing performance that makes this film work. It’s pretty rare that we see an epic film from the eyes of a female protagonist and it’s this unique viewpoint that makes “The Last Duel” stand out from other equally good historical epics like “Braveheart” and “Henry V.”
Directed by Ridley Scott, the film has an amazing scale to it that rivals much of his work like “Gladiator,” “Black Hawk Down” and “The Martian.” Along with the beautiful cinematography of Dariusz Wolski, the film has a consistently cold atmosphere with snow constantly falling, muted colors and a harsh atmosphere. If you go see the film in theaters, it’s best to bring a coat. With theaters being shut down for extended periods of time in the past year and a half, seeing sweeping shots of armies clashing and the massive spectacle of medieval times was a welcomed sight.
Claire Simpson’s editing is also spectacular as she has to take scenes that we’ve already seen and use alternate takes to create a different feeling depending on the character’s perspective. By telling the same story three times, it could have easily become repetitive but Simpson makes each character’s truth truly unique.
Ridley Scott is a truly masterful director with several of my favorite films, like “Alien,”“Blade Runner” and “American Gangster,” having his name attached. Since his most recent films, “Alien: Covenant” and “All the Money In the World,” were released in 2017, it’s truly wonderful to see his work return to cinema.
