The Last Duel (2021) Movie Drinking Game
Do a Shot: for every difference in same scenes between Acts.
Take a Drink: every time someone has an assumption about a person.
Take a Drink: for every kill.
Do a Shot: for every battle sequence.
By: Movie Snurb (A Toast) –
The Last Duel is the latest in the illustrious career of Ridley Scott. Based on the novel The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France by Eric Jager, it tells the true story of trial by combat between Jean De Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris after Le Gris rapes Jean De Carrouges’ wife Marguerite. Matt Damon plays Jean. Jodie Comer plays his wife Marguerite. Adam Driver plays Le Gris, and Ben Affleck plays the smug and spoiled Pierre d’Alencon. Stacked cast, stacked crew, but does Scott pull it off?
A Toast
The short answer: Yes. Scott has been hit or miss over his long career. I’m not sure where this would land in a ranking of his films, but this is definitely a good one in his filmography. I’d say hit, but it is not doing well in the box office. Who knew people would rather see a James Bond film or Michael Meyers murder more people over a 150-minute medieval epic about rape? So, though this may not be one of the highest grossing films in Ridley’s filmography, it will be remembered fondly.
Everyone has been comparing this to Rashomon and it is easy to see why. The story is written in a three-act structure: Act I is the viewpoint of Jean (Matt Damon), Act II is the viewpoint of Le Gris (Adam Driver), and Act III is the viewpoint of Marguerite (Jodie Comer). The two male viewpoints are written by Damon and Affleck and Marguerite’s viewpoint is written by Nicole Holofcener.
The modern update to the Rashomon style of storytelling makes it feel new, plus in the time of #MeToo it deconstructs the medieval film genre. Most or all of the medieval films are from the male viewpoint. Here we get to understand what it was like for women during this time. Considering rape back then was consider a crime against the husband because women were property… yeesh. In over 100 years of film how have we never really looked at that viewpoint?
It’s also the subtle differences between the viewpoints that make the film work so well. Jean De Carrouges is a great fighter and a rage-filled man. The only way he knows how to settle anything is with violence. So, during his version the battle scenes are the longest. With Le Gris, the battle scenes are shorter. Le Gris is much more of an intellectual, interested in art and women. It’s these minor details that help us understand the people. With Marguerite’s storyline, we get to truly understand what being a woman in this time was like, and yet we will never understand.
Comer is brilliant in this film. In her story we get to see all the pain, fear, and boredom that comes with being a woman of this time. If the film had ended after the first two acts, we would’ve thought Jodie was a happy woman who enjoyed her life as best she could. Just another brilliant touch in the storytelling. Marguerite wasn’t a real person in the first two acts. It’s not until the third act that Comer truly shines with everything I mentioned above. However, it is not until the film ends that you appreciate her performance even more. Same goes for Damon as Jean De Carrouges. His subtle shifts throughout are pitch-perfect for believing everyone’s different version of the story. Affleck is also delicious during the Le Gris section as a petty and spoiled brat. He is having a ton of fun and it is a joy to watch.
A few more tidbits of praise for the film. The score is excellent, doing an excellent job of helping transport the audience into the Middle Ages. Claire Simpson also deserves a shoutout for her editing. Making this film at 153 minutes not feel like a slog but a breeze to watch is true talent. I did not expect the violence to be so visceral. Every blow lands with a rattle in the theater seats.
Verdict
It’s a shame I didn’t get to screen this film and spread the buzz around before its release. I would have to look at Ridley Scott’s full filmography, but my knee jerk reaction is this could be a top ten film of his. If you’re at all considering seeing this film, please do before it leaves theaters!
