26 Oct The Last Duel Review

THE LAST DUEL

dir. Ridley Scott, starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Adam Driver, and Jodie Comer

The Last Duel, the retelling of the 1386 accusation from Marguerite de Carrouges that she was raped by Jacques Le Gris, is one of the most captivating and harrowing stories to hit theaters this year. Told in three parts from three different perspectives, the events that lead up to the eventual duel between de Carrouges and Le Gris change and take shape as different sides of the story are unfurled, contradicted, and twisted.

Scott’s return to the world of medieval times after the middling 2010 Robin Hood, The Last Duel more than makes up for the aforementioned film by delivering a compelling drama, a story of he said/she said with the actual truth being far worse than either side is willing to reveal. Told from the viewpoints of Sir Jean de Carrouges (Damon), Jaque Le Gris (Driver), and Marguerite de Carrouges (Comer), the film examines the horrible act of rape, of how rape was viewed in society in the 1100s, and uses that lens to show how, for some, that archaic mode of thinking still exists. Hand in hand with that examination is the sidelining of the victim’s voice as the men in the movie move to either protest their innocence, declare their bloody vengeance, and other acts of grandstanding. The Last Duel also sheds a less talked about light on the support, or at times lack thereof, from other women regarding the situation. One thing that’s clear in the film is that no stone is left unturned and no person safe from criticism.

Starring Matt Damon and Adam Driver as Sir Jean de Carrouges and Jacque Le Gris respectively, The Last Duel boasts a number of actors and actresses bringing their A game. Sadly, Matt Damon is not one of those actors. He serves the film well enough, hitting his marks and saying his lines, but this film is leagues away from his best work. A brute with little to no social skills, Damon is content to play de Carrouges by yelling his lines and standing in scenes with his lips poked out in defiance at the world. Conversely, Adam Driver and Ben Affleck share multiple scenes together with a chemistry and fondness for each other that seems genuine. Driver’s playboy Le Gris is at times delightfully charming, sneakily sinister, and downright horrible, depending on the viewpoint from which the story is being told. Driver plays these levels perfectly, proving here that he’s an actor to be respected and capable of handling himself outside of major blockbusters. Affleck, while in the film far less than Damon or Driver, steals almost every scene he’s in, playing the Count Pierre d’Alencon. The Count’s rapscallious nature is portrayed wonderfully by Affleck, who appears to be having fun as the aloof noble, caring only for wine and fornication.

The real standout of the movie, the person with which the heaviest responsibility fell, is Jodie Comer as Marguerite de Carrouges, the lady who accuses Jaque Le Gris of rape. After making a name for herself playing the rascally mentally unbalanced assassin Villanelle in Killing Eve, Comer brings a completely different energy to Marguerite, one of the quiet fury and deep anguish. While holding her own in the first two parts of the film belonging to Damon and Driver, she fully comes into her own in the third segment, shining in every scene as she’s made to oscillate between her anger at Sir Jean and fear for her life, which is in his hands. While the men handle the loud bits of the movie with battle and boisterous proclamations of honor and nobility, it’s the smaller, quieter sections where Comer’s prowess is on full display as Marguerite grapples with the after effects of Le Gris’ rape. After her performance here, the sky is the limit for Jodie Comer.

Directed by Sir Ridley Scott, a man who long since cemented his name as one of the greats, The Last Duel is a behemoth film, expertly tackled by the director. Smartly deployed cinematography, along with keen editing and tight pacing shows the veteran director can still deliver the goods. Written by Nicole Holofcener, co-written by Affleck and Damon, the film manages to highlight the themes of the movie without being overly preachy or oppressive. As if to say see how shitty men are in 2021? They’ve always been this shitty, the structure of the movie one of its strongest suits, slyly revealing information and character traits that spotlights the never ending depravity of the two men in question. Harry Gregson-Williams’ score, his third with Scott, helps sets the tone and plunges the audience into the world of knights and squires, and muck and grime and filth.

Overall, The Last Duel shows that at 83 years old, Ridley Scott can still hang with the best of them. Rebounding back from a long run of less-than-stellar films (The Martian notwithstanding), Scott is poised to return to form with this first of two releases in the calendar year. Only 17 minutes shy of three hours long, the film takes its time establishing the world and the characters while never moving slow or seeming dull. Between set ups for later payoffs, story development, character development, or just plain interesting visuals, something is always happening and manages to hold firm the audience’s attention throughout. Strong direction from Scott, coupled with a star making turn from Jodie Comer and a not-so-subtly veiled criticism of the toxicity within men, The Last Duel is a compelling, at times uncomfortable, watch. The Last Duel is currently in theaters.

Review by Darryl Mansel