Directed by:
Ridley ScottCinematography:
Dariusz WolskiComposer:
Harry Gregson-WilliamsCast:
Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, Ben Affleck, Harriet Walter, Marton Csokas, Željko Ivanek, Alex Lawther, Nathaniel Parker, Sam Hazeldine (more)VOD (2)
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Jodie Comer “makes her mark” in this thought-provoking drama set during the 14th century in France from visionary filmmaker Ridley Scott. Based on actual events, the film centres on one woman’s (Comer) accusation that she was brutally assaulted by Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), her husband Jean de Carrouges’ (Matt Damon) friend. Now, in order to prove his wife’s claim, de Carrouges must fight Le Gris to the death, the victor believed to be determined by God. All three lives hang in the balance in this gripping, cinematic film also starring Ben Affleck as Le Gris’ scheming ally, Count d’Alençon. (Disney / Buena Vista)
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Reviews (17)
Ridley Scott and his historic comeback! I put this film off for quite a while, but I'm surprisingly pleased with the result. Scott relies on an unconventional theme, which he tells from three different points of view, and since I love the courts, history and the actors, I did without yawning and suffering, which I feared due to the lack of action scenes. In the first third Ridley serves up a couple of shorter battles, wonderfully raw and brutal – even though they lasted barely two minutes, it was still a treat and I'm quite annoyed that he didn't extend them to at least five minutes. Technically, the film is top notch, the costumes, the sets, the locations are very believable. The dialogue is top notch, the actors give their best. Matt Damon is superb, Jodie Comer is impressive, and Adam Driver is sleazy as a snake (I'm not really into Driver yet, his film choices don't really suit me), and the tense trial and the incredibly intense final duel were also great, more or less demanding 5 stars because it had everything and lacked nothing. A solid historical film that I may even repeat once, but I give Ridley a minor slap for the short battles, next time I want the carnage! Story 4/5, Action 3/5, Humor 0/5, Violence 3/5, Fun 4/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 5/5, Atmosphere 5/5, Suspense 4/5, Emotion 4/5, Actors 5/5. 8.5/10.
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It takes a lot of confidence to craft an epic medieval drama that’s as intimate as it is grand, but if anyone has that kind of confidence, it’s Ridley Scott. I had high expectations for The Last Duel — the story promised originality, the cast was stacked with talent, and the medieval setting was ripe for immersive storytelling. And Ridley delivered on all fronts, earning a solid five stars from me. It’s been a while since a film completely transported me to another time period, and The Last Duel did just that. The authenticity of the setting, the complex characters who aren't simply good or evil but deeply rooted in the medieval world, and the rich atmosphere made it a standout experience. Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Adam Driver, and Jodie Comer all gave performances that lingered with me long after the credits rolled. I found myself replaying the final moments of the film in my mind, fixated on a single line that kept me awake, contemplating. That’s the kind of impact I love in a movie — when it leaves you thinking, feeling, and knowing you’ve witnessed something truly exceptional. The Last Duel is absolutely that.
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I would give I don't know what to be a part of a Ridley Scott shoot and get a glimpse of his art, his films look so real. One long camera shot captures the mood of the entire Middle Ages – a cathedral under construction, a stone bridge with a dirt road, huts by the river with boats floating on it, a peasant with an ox team, and behind him a cohort of soldiers on horseback, cattle behind a fence, dirty pigs wallowing in the mud, mangy dogs running around, and all that brown-tinted medieval gloom; beautiful. And then there's the story, which could be cheaply flushed down the drain as a politically correct me-too tale, but it's not. It is a powerful story about the strength of a woman who fights for her honour despite the threat of cruel death by burning. And at the end, it cuts to what is probably the best jousting I've seen in the cinema, even considering they so rarely appear in films. Jodie Comer is superb, and the guys are overshadowed by Adam Driver, he's a stud. And Ridley, once it's over, it's gonna hurt.
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This ingenious variation on the concept of three different perspectives on a single event, which was most famously presented in Kurosawa’s Rashomon, is built on a carefully constructed screenplay and its solid execution. But here the confusedly reconstructed historical setting (immersive battles and artificial-looking cities) fully serves the interests of the story and the characters, who, together with the actors playing them, carry this excellent film. Though, following the model of Rashomon, The Last Duel is primarily concerned with a single moment; the depiction of the broader context is essential for the film, because it is in that context that both of the individual actors present themselves, or rather how they perceive themselves. Self-regard and self-presentation are the root of the clash of perspectives, and at the core stands a brilliant illustration of how the whole of history is distorted by the fact that it was formulated by men. The final third of the film offers the perspective or rather the truth of a woman in relation to “truths” from the perspective of men. It’s not only the fact that, from a dramatic point of view, everything for which the script gradually lays the groundwork is brilliantly put to use, but primarily the fact that, with devastatingly unpleasant eloquence, it puts forth the absurdity of the maxim “this is a man’s world”, which looms over not only this particular story of one woman, which is told by two men, but also the entire history of a patriarchal society that not only fails to listen to women, but also a priori judges them according to its own established viewpoints. The woman’s perspective thus reveals not only her story in the shadow of men and their disregard, but also how their definition of themselves is shaped by privileges and ideals about themselves based on the fulfilment of particular contemporary masculine roles of the gallant knight protector and the honourable, erudite heartbreaker. Ridley Scott then brilliantly brings to life this intimate drama and all its levels within the perfectionist staging of a historical epic that does not draw attention to itself, but works as a necessary materialisation of a particular historical period characterised by strictly defined gender roles and norms. The final titular duel then gets its intensity not only thanks to its excellent formalistic depiction, but primarily because it represents a dramatic climax, which, unlike the opening sequence, we no longer perceive through the lens of the two male protagonists, as we rather identify with the woman who is forced to observe the whole situation. The Last Duel is thus an entirely atypical Hollywood project, whose large budget serves for the creation of an intimate drama with unfortunately far-reaching significance, and where the historical setting puts forth the negative traits that persist at the core of our society to this day.
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Ridley Scott is a unique filmmaker, each of his great historical films is unique in style, concept and narrative. From classic linear swords and sandals (Gladiator), to a spiritual journey (Kingdom of Heaven), to peasants running around the woods in cool packs (Robin Hood). The Last Duel is most similar to Robin Hood in aesthetics and production design, but it is more serious, topical and layered in content. It's the story of a strong woman who was ahead of her time in thought (and courage). A breathtaking acting tour de force in an original and daring script, spiced with phenomenal visual stylisation, darkened camera filters and a fierce final sword fight. There isn't as much action as usual and the running time is a bit too long, mainly due to the fact that some shots are repeated several times due to the way the story is told – which is also basically the only flaw.
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