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| Images courtesy Scott Free/Fox Pictures |
Ridley Scott returns to the familiar realms of evil men and blood soaked sword play in this week's release of The Last Duel, starring Matt Damon and Adam Driver in the central male roles. The resulting two hours and thirty five minutes is an exercise in pain and a high tolerance for tension that's reliant on Scott's perfected eye and a dream cast that knows exactly how to play off of each other's best dramatic moments.
Based on a true story, the film tells of Marguerite de Carrouges (Jodie Comer), a woman who accuses her husband's former best friend, confidante and battle partner of sexual assault. The resulting account drags audiences through the painfully ignorant religious court system, torturous scenes of forced sex acts, and a heavy dose of late 1300's misogyny befitting a time period that ignored women's rights and amplified the sickening attitudes of armor wearing men.
Scott's latest is a grueling watch that pushes his audience to their emotional limits. He tears through the French countryside with his talented flare for creating amazing on screen characters and phenomenal looking set design, brutal combat sequences and a perfectly timed message about woman's rights. From a fresh and informed view that aligns with the #MeToo movement, Ridley dives face first into a tale of rape that's recounted from different perspectives, each with their own personal telling of the act. This adds to the already lengthy runtime but is altogether a needed part of the story even if it feels rather headlong at times.
Returning to familiar territory such as his Kingdom of Heaven or Gladiator, Scott feels comfortable in his own shoes with The Last Duel. He exists in this space without any confines or expansive visions that are tied to a franchise. His creative control over 14th century period pieces is absolutely apparent. Yet, the film breaks no new ground. But that's not the point here. Scott is empowered by a screenplay that's written by Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon. Mixing in current themes about women's rights fits seamlessly into the context of the film. With Comer taking center focus, she absolutely shines against a dramatic support system provided by Driver and Damon.
The Last Duel is a great reminder of how excellent Ridley Scott can be when fitted with the proper source material. Coming back to his comfort zone after a couple directorial misfires (Alien:Covenant, All The Money in the World), he returns to greatness with his latest film. Using his cast to their full potential, including an unexpected support role by Ben Affleck, this is a call back to a greater time in film when we could expect the acting, editing, sound design and overall production value to all convince us we were reliving a different point in our history.
The battle of wits between Driver and Damon is all encompassing. Both actors throw themselves into their roles with abandon while Comer continually uses her emotive power to carry much of the film on her shoulders. Set against a cold backdrop that features period perfect sets and lighting, The Last Duel is a definite must see especially for those that love films about this era.
-CG
