The Last Duel (2021) Review

The Last Duel (2021)

Set in 14th Century France, The Last Duel follows the tangled perspectives of Sir Jean de Carrouges, Jacques Le Gris, and Marguerite de Carrouges, following the accused rape of Marguerite at the hands of Jean’s former friend, Le Gris, resulting in his bid toward justice: a duel to the death. 

As Jean’s mother, Nicole, would put it early on in the film, “There is no right, only the power of men”, immediately setting the stage for what The Last Duel is truly about. Not the rivalry between two former allies. Not supposedly the husband stepping in to defend his wife’s honor. No, it is about the power men hold over all, and in this case especially, power that is inflicted on Marguerite. It’s a story that almost feels a work of fiction, particularly in the way it is told, shifting between three worlds as we try to uncover the real truth behind not only what happened but also the damning events that would lead to such a harrowing assault. You come to realize that obviously, the duel is important, but it’s the convoluted web of lies and perspectives however that alter the picture and get progressively darker, that that is what the story is truly mean to convey—a tale, concurrent to our modern future, that finally tells the side of the woman instead of focusing on the misdeeds of the two men who hurt her the most. 

My only real gripe however, and it’s mind bogglingly annoying, is the editing and pacing of the film. Scenes hardly last for more than a few minutes and then jump around to keep the story moving, skipping out on any details that could further explain the relationships (or lack of) that anchor the story, though it’s rectified to some small extent as we cut to the next chapters, treading over the same ground, but written slightly or significantly different so as to correspond with the eyes were viewing it from. 

We get a pretty good cast, starring Alex Lawther, Harriet Walter, Ben Affleck, Adam Driver, Matt Damon, and Jodie Comer. While the combined efforts of Affleck, Damon, and Driver were undeniably excellent though extremely cold, it’s Comer, whose tortured and multilayered performance shines so bright, especially as we see the story through her eyes, instead of the two who came before. 

The Last Duel, directed by Ridley Scott, is a gripping tale of rivalry, lies, and abuse that while shoddily edited down for time, expertly uses the real stories of our past to tackle issues at the forefront of our future. 

8.1/10