It has been awhile since I looked forward to an upcoming feature film at the movie theater. One reason for that is the fact that I rarely take a peek at any movie before I am about to see it. While that might sound like a strange thing to do, when you are routinely seeing films primarily for the sake of writing a review, it does not matter nearly as much to know what you are about to see… aside from the title, so that you can check in at the proper table. However, I am not always able to see the movie in advance. When this occurs, seeing that film the old-fashioned way is where it is at. I just happened to be watching the latest 007 movie when I saw a slew of upcoming attractions. One, which really stood out, was the latest offering from world-renowned filmmaker, Ridley Scott. If you are not familiar with any of his work, please change that, if you can.
Scott has dabbled in a number of different types of movies, including: Science Fiction, Horror, Action and Drama, even Dark Comedy, but perhaps a sub-genre that has been overlooked, somewhat, amidst is film credentials, is that of true stories based on books. “The Last Duel” is the latest such example and it seemed perfect for a director like Scott before it was even conceived. The process has been an arduous one, beginning with the announcement of the movie adaptation of Eric Jager’s book, back in 2015, and a stalled completion, dating back to 2019. The time for release is finally here, but is it worth the wait?…
The story begins in 1386, in the famed and legendary city of Paris, France, though we will only be here for a short time, throughout the film. Two men are about to begin a duel, but not just any duel; it is a duel to the death and they used to be not just good friends, but brothers in battle. So what happened between them?
On the one hand, we have Matt Damon (“Ford v Ferrari”) as Sir Jean de Carrouges; a knight. On the other hand, there is Adam Driver (“Annette”) as Jacques Le Gris, a fellow squire. 
Just nine years prior, they served together in the Caroline War. Count Pierre d’Alencon, played by Ben Affleck (“The Way Back”), is connected to the two of them, but they have very different relationships. Carrouges does not see eye-to-eye with the Count, but Gris is quite chummy with him and that goes a very long ways, as you will discover, on down the road. What it seems to come down to for Gris, in connection with Carrouges, is the loyalty between friends versus the rule of law, at least in the beginning.
A few years later, Carrouges encounters a young lady of great distinction, 
albeit her ties are to a man that he also does not care for. Nevertheless, he becomes, at the very least, infatuated with Marguerite, played by Jodie Comer (“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”), and soon, the two are wed, by the Catholic Church. You will notice the great attention to detail carried out in the ceremonies. This becomes an important piece of the equation some time later in the story.
Where things become dicey is a combination of things. One man takes land as an inheritance and the other feels that land was to belong to him. Then, an unspeakable act takes place between one man and the wife of the other and ,now, it is her word against his and the times are not kind to women, to say the least. So, when the dust settles, only one man shall remain standing, so to speak… or one man may fall, as well as his wife, as a result. Just try and figure out who the real hero is, in the end. It is not as simple as it might seem.
Beyond the great technical aspects of this film (the set designs, costumes and artistic direction, among other notable qualities) is the way in which the story is told. Instead of trying to tell each, prominent character’s story in a linear fashion, the accounts are all told separately, so that we can see what the truth is, based on perspectives and intentions. Although, by the third chapter, everything starts to feel a bit repetitive, it begins in a distinctly different manner and it is vital to the whole film. Look for it within the title sequence, please, and take mental notes of the slight differences within the characters’ expressions and words and emotions, for they all are key to the story, altogether.
“The Last Duel” has provided us with an important subject to (keep) exploring. It occurred at a time when so much was different, compared to the world around us today, yet some things have not changed nearly as much as we may think. You might even notice yourself making assumptions before you have seen the whole story and realize why that can be such a critical mistake. In that fashion, this is a learning experience, which mostly unfolds without being too preachy or overly contentious, though it is not perfect, either. How much does that impact the overall experience? To me, not enough to discourage the movie from anyone who might be intrigued to view it. I did not feel offended or attacked. Rather, I felt enlightened, to a degree. If we do not see a certain amount of positive attention awarded to this movie as the year draws to a close, I will gladly and openly reconsider my initial thoughts, but for now, I rank this film as a very good effort and execution, elevated to greatness by the importance of the topics and themes. At the very least, it is well-crafted by a master of moviemaking and a phenomenal cast. That much cannot be denied or altered, as far as I am concerned.
Director: Ridley Scott
Screenwriters: Nicole Holofcenter, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon
Based on: ‘The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France’ by Eric Jager
Starring: Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, Ben Affleck, Alex Lawther as King Charles VI, Marton Csokas as Crespin, Claire Dunne as Ceila
Distributed by: 20th Century Studios
Release: September 10th, 2021 (Venice) and October 15th, 2021 (United States and United Kingdom)
