King Charles VI declares that Knight Jean de Carrouges settle his dispute with his squire by challenging him to a duel.
I wouldn’t blame you for having low expectations of Ridley Scott’s latest feature “The Last Duel.” The trailer, prominently featuring Ben Affleck’s blonde mop and matching goatee, is somewhat vague and misleading, suggesting a dour medieval legal procedural. While the film is certainly dark, both thematically and visually, and contains its share of (purposefully) terrible hairdos and court drama, Scott’s lively direction, his stellar cast (yes, even Affleck’s good), and a sharp-as-a-blade screenplay will keep you riveted throughout the two-and-a-half-hour running time. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a big-budget Hollywood spectacle be as nuanced, and cut as deep, as “The Last Duel.”
Split into three chapters, each told from the perspective of one of its leads — yet only one observed as “objective truth” — “The Last Duel” begins with a bang and almost never slows. The first segment sees Matt Damon’s knight, Jean de Carrouges, save his fellow warrior’s, Jacques Le Gris’ (Adam Driver), life during battle. Jean goes on to wed the wealthy heiress and noblewoman Marguerite (Jodie Comer), while Jacques becomes Count Pierre d’Alençon’s (Affleck) beloved squire. Feeling left out, Jean nevertheless settles into his life waging battles, although his resentment of Jacques grows — and then something terrible happens involving Marguerite, leading to the titular duel. The second chapter views the same events through Jacques’ eyes, and finally, Marguerite’s side of things are revealed.
Based on a book by Eric Jager, the film’s setting — 14th Century France — accentuates its themes; the fragility of the male ego is particularly striking, and pitiful when juxtaposed against men’s brutality. The screenplay — by Damon, Affleck, and the wonderful Nicole Holofcener — savagely ridicules said narcissism, or what’s referred to as “toxic masculinity,” tracing it back to way before such terms existed. Back then, women knew better than to speak up. Their husbands left for months to kill and conquer, consequently desiring recognition for their purported heroism; if the ego is not stroked, it’s shattered, leading to misbegotten rivalry. Sadly, women often became casualties in those cock feuds. Marguerite is no casualty. She does speak up. In “The Last Duel,” allusions to current times/events are evident but never patronizing.
Props to Damon, Driver, and, yes, Affleck, for going all the way; their characters are all indefensible swine, reveling in their pigsty of violence and mindless sex and booze. It takes courage to look this pathetic on screen, yet the three actors fully commit, adding just enough shades of charisma and perhaps even self-awareness to ensure they don’t come off as cardboard villains. It’s Jodie Comer, however, who proves to be the real star of the show. Sophisticated, loyal, refusing to be victimized, her Marguerite is the one you root for. With this and “Free Guy” under her belt in 2021, Comer’s future is shaping up to be quite bright.
Dariusz Wolski’s camera captures every gesture and expression, before plunging into the midst of battle; you can almost smell the sweat, taste the blood, wince from the blows of the sword or the stampede of war horses’ hooves. Expect sliced-off heads, pierced skulls, and split bones aplenty. There is poetry to the most grotesque of scenes, however, just as there’s a lyricism to the way Wolski depicts the candlelit interiors.
At 83, Ridley Scott shows no signs of slowing; like Martin Scorsese, he wipes the floor with many of the so-called up-and-coming filmmakers with sheer verve and elegance. Get past the mullets and wonky accents, and you may find yourself rather shocked: here’s an actual Hollywood flick with purpose, one that doesn’t preach but pulls you in with ingenious storytelling techniques. As intimate as it is grandiose, “The Last Duel” may just mark a renaissance of smart big-budget filmmaking.
Available on Digital HD November 30th, and on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ & DVD December 14th
