The Last Duel is a 2021 hiostorical movie directed by Ridley Scott. Starring Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer and Ben Affleck. It’s based on the novel by Eric Jager.
Plot
The film unravels long-held assumptions about France’s last sanctioned duel between Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris, two friends turned bitter rivals. When Carrouges’ wife, Marguerite, is viciously assaulted by Le Gris, a charge he denies, she refuses to stay silent, stepping forward to accuse her attacker, an act of bravery and defiance that puts her life in jeopardy. The ensuing trial by combat, a grueling duel to the death, places the fate of all three in God’s hands. (filmaffinity)
Movie Reviews
“[It] is the affecting story of one woman’s quiet heroism that requires you to wade through a lot of blustery accounts of the honor, the pride and the wars of men in order to get to it. Which is kind of like perpetuating the patriarchy” David Rooney: The Hollywood Reporter
- “The Last Duel brings the most brutal sword-fight scenes in decades, proving that no one really does it like Sir Ridley Scott when it comes to medieval period pieces (…) a poignant exploration of power and gender” Rafael Motamayor: Collider
“What’s appealing about ‘The Last Duel’ is that it’s actually, at heart, a rather old-fashioned movie (…) What’s odd about it is that it lacks the satisfying dramatic clarity of an old movie” Owen Gleiberman: Variety
