It’s been 24 years since Matt Damon and Ben Affleck last wrote together, with their efforts resulting in an Oscar win for the classic that is Good Will Hunting. Since that time the pair have gone on to find individual success in everything from acting in big budget blockbusters to directing academy award winning films. Their return to writing (alongside Nicole Holofcener) then, comes with big expectations – a medieval #metoo story doesn’t sound like an easy premise to crack – and who better to call upon to direct than Ridley Scott. The Last Duel might not be as impactful as Good Will Hunting – bloated at times with some questionable accents and prosthetics – but it is still an incredibly enthralling tale of a woman who struggled against an oppressive system in order to tell her truth; a premise which sadly still resonates today.
Told in three parts, each representing one of the central trio’s “truths”, the main conflict revolves around French knights Jean de Carrouges (Damon) and Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), friends through military service who grow distant upon their return from war. Carrouges’ temper has long held him in bad esteem with his overlord Count Pierre d’Alençon (Affleck) – cousin of King Charles VI (Alex Lawther) – who finds his behaviour ill befitting of the courts, seizing land and preventing Carrouges from assuming an entitled captaincy to spite him. Le Gris, on the other hand, found favour with the Count through his financial skills and diplomacy, landing him a prized position of counsel as well as all the knightly benefits denied to Carrouges.
When Le Gris forces himself on Carrouges’ wife Marguerite (Jodie Comer), violently raping her, she appeals to her husband to substantiate her claim in the courts; an embarrassing and shameful ordeal that ultimately results in the two men duelling to the death to determine the truth; conveniently ignorant to the fact that Marguerite will suffer more than either man should her husband fail to defeat his foe.
As a film about perspective, The Last Duel is largely successful. The overlap between the three individual’s stories means that the film spends a lot of its runtime revisiting moments, usually in order to present a new insight or – in some cases – an entirely new interpretation of a conversation or event. Through this, Scott is able to dig deep into the lies men tell themselves in order to retain their honour; regardless of the people it may hurt. The objectification of Marguerite by Le Gris and Carrouges draws obvious parallels with the recent #metoo movement within Hollywood, with the road to telling her truth paved with hardship and embarrassment. It isn’t the most deep examination, particularly given the largely male creative team behind the production, but it is effective in drawing outraged gasps and knowing groans at the injustices Marguerite suffers.
Where that repetition becomes tiresome is in the scenes that are replayed entirely to remind audiences that they occurred, without adding any new dimensions to the event or characters within. It doesn’t happen so much that you feel like you are watching the film in triplicate but it is enough to make the already gargantuanly long film feel bloated. That problem is somewhat compounded when you consider the film’s intent to give voice to the woman at the centre of this male conflict, yet we spend the vast majority of proceedings focused on these two men and their proverbial pissing contest. A well made depiction of the injustices women suffered at the time, no doubt, but one that offers little commentary on the strides made since or the sad lack thereof.
Key to the film not succumbing to the repetition is the casting, with stellar performances across the board keeping you engaged, particularly Driver and Comer. Driver is equal parts gentleman and sleaze bag as the cocksure Le Gris, who has bought into the status associated with his position to the point where you start to question whether he genuinely believes the lies he spews out to defend himself from Marguerite’s accusations. It’s is a performance that can turn on a dime from disarmingly charming to scum of the earth at the drop of a hat, further proving Driver as one of the finest, most under-appreciated actors of his generation.
Comer continues her rise following a completely different role in this year’s Free Guy with a quiet, measured and emotionally devastating performance as Marguerite. Largely silent in the presence of her husband or other men, majority of the character building during these scenes comes from facial expressions and small glances. When the time comes for Marguerite’s truth to be told, Comer capitalises on all of that pent up emotion, with a fiery performance that should land her in this year’s Oscar race.
Speaking of awards, The Last Duel absolutely deserves to be in the conversation for sound editing and mixing, with the terrifyingly loud clangs of swords against armour and squelches of flesh rending under sword sticking with you long after the scene has ended. The film isn’t particularly action-heavy until the titular duel, but the flashes of battles that are shown are brutally effective in their brevity, full of frenetic flashes of gore and quick cuts that disorientate the viewer in the same way as the combatants. Costuming is another area that shines with elaborate dresses and armour showing meticulous care and craftsmanship, but the less said about Damon and Affleck’s hair pieces and prosthetics, the better.
The Last Duel might not have the lasting legacy of Good Will Hunting but it is nonetheless an impressive sophomore effort from Damon and Affleck that effectively captures the brutality of medieval France, both on and off the battlefield. Bloated at times but more often deeply enthralling thanks to the efforts of a star studded cast and immersive costuming and sound design, Ridley Scott’s latest might not hit the level of commentary it aims for, but it still manages to leave you thinking even if it doesn’t offer much in the way of solutions going forward. Marguerite’s struggle might have resulted in the last duel at the time, but the problems she brought to light are far from over.
The Last Duel stars Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, Ben Affleck, Harriet Walter, Nathaniel Parker, Alex Lawther & Martin Csokas – In cinemas now.
