King Charles VI declares that Knight Jean de Carrouges settle his dispute with his squire by challenging him to a duel.
Chuck says:
A hard watch for many reasons, Ridley Scott’s “The Last Duel” is a bracing, captivating and timely film that revolves around one incident recounted from three different perspectives. Adapted from the book by Eric Jager, the time is the late 14th century France, the titular event being the last government sanctioned duel between former colleagues who’ve become bitter rivals. How and why this came to be is revealed through multiple flashbacks, each providing slightly different versions of a traumatic event that pits two loyal friends against one another and puts not only a woman’s honor, but her life in the balance.
It’s quickly established that Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon), a noble knight and, when necessary, soldier for hire, is a wronged man. Not respected by Count Pierre d’Alencon (Ben Affleck), the regent who governs his estate nor his fellow warriors, he’s a man constantly in search of personal and professional respect. A widower, his life takes a turn for the better when he marries Marguerite de Thibouville (Jodie Comer), daughter of a former nobleman accused of treason. Smart, assured and beautiful, she garners the attention of many of de Carrouges’ peers, chief among them Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), a fellow knight. Upon returning from an overseas campaign, Marguerite tells her husband that she was raped by Le Gris, a crime that’s a further blight on his honor. Demanding justice before King Charles VI (Alex Lawther), he requests a formal duel, so that he might repair the harm done to his name.
At least that’s what happened according to de Carrouges.
His version of these events is followed by Le Gris’ account and finally Marguerite’s, a daring, gripping approach that provides small yet significant differences in the story which weigh heavily on how we perceive each character as well as our own efforts to get to the truth. Great care is taken in fleshing out these distinctions, the result being a thrilling narrative approach in which layers are added to the story that force the viewer to change their perception again and again of what happened, simultaneously altering our opinions of the characters as well.
What proves fascinating are the subtle changes in the performances of the three principals as each version plays out. Small gestures, a simple glance or vocal inflections are added, omitted or altered as the perspective changes, coloring how we see the characters, which change by degree with each subsequent telling.
Ridley Scott provides the sort of sumptuous period visuals we’ve come to expect from him, the film a collection of minute details, meticulously rendered. However, his greatest contribution comes from making the two-and-a-half-hour film breeze by, a testament to his innate ability to create a pace and tone that grabs the viewer and envelopes it in the time and place he’s created. Credit the script by Affleck, Damon and Nicole Holofcener, the two men penning the first two sections from the male perspective, their partner tackling the final act from Marguerite’s point of view. This approach is vital to the success of the film, both in terms of credibility and perspective.
And while the duel, one of the most violent sequences to be seen in any film this year, elicits a visceral response, it’s Marguerite’s trial that stays with you. Disbelieved and reviled, her story was doubted by most who knew of it, her efforts to be heard and believed brushed aside. Her fortitude and strength are undeniable and to be admired and if “Duel” underscores anything, it’s that as a society, perhaps we’ve haven’t come as far as we think we have.
3 1/2 Stars
Pam says:
Before the #MeToo Movement there was Marguerite de Carrouges, a 14th century woman who dared to have a voice and speak up against the man who raped her. Her voice, the representative voice for all women during this repulsive time in history where women were nothing more than property, rings loud and clear in the Rashomon-Style film “The Last Duel.”
To read Pam’s 4 star review in its entirety, go to http://reelhonestreviews.com/the-last-duel-a-flawless-masterpiece/
