The Last Duel
review by Bobby Blakey
Director Ridley Scott has had a long career of bringing some awesome films to the masses including Legend, Gladiator, Robin Hood, Alien and so many more. His latest film The Last Duel features a great cast including Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Adam Driver and Jodie Comer. Could this film bring the gritty world of medieval times to life or will it fail to live up to the honor of the knight?
The Last Duel follows King Charles VI who declares friends Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris, two knights, must fight to the death after de Carrouges’s wife accuses Le Gris of assault to settle their dispute.
With the talent involved I was instantly interested in this film, but after hearing it not do all that well had me a bit bummed. Finally getting to sit down and check it out makes me all the more sad but it is truly a great movie that got lost in the shuffle of big box office spectacles and no doubt the pandemic. The story is interestingly told through three parts from the perspectives of Damon, Driver and Comer’s characters. It’s a brave chose as it could get easily get redundant, but here it remains compelling with its just slight changes throughout.
The cast are all great with Affleck given the least to do, but chews up every scene. Damon and Comer lead the charge for the most part with Driver given some heavy load to carry as well. All of them bring a different nuance to their roles with only Comer’s her character really being one that you ever truly feel for. Carrouges and Le Gris are both the typical man of the time with their horrible mentalities and ego towards women making this entire situation about them and nothing more. There is a bit of redemption but it’s hard to ever really get passed the ideals of the time.
That’s part of what made this film work is that head first dive into the time without trying to force anyone character to stand out from the time
its taking place in. Despite the ideal of the dual being the ultimate catalyst that brings it all together this is not an action heavy film instead it is more about the lead up to it and trial to get there. This is an important way of telling this story and making you care even more when we finally get to the duel. There is more depth to the characters and ultimate consequences to its outcome for everyone.
The duel itself is worth waiting for bringing everything from jousting to sword play to fisticuffs. They pull no punches and its shot well bringing a good level of violence and end that will get you fully invested. I know the slower pace of this film won’t work for everyone, but for me it delivered and hope it eventually gets the audience it deserves.
In addition to the film this release offers up bonus content including a making of featurette taking you behind bringing this story to life. Grab your copy of The Last Duel available now on digital, 4K, Blu-ray and DVD from 20th Century Studios.