The Last Duel

One is uncomfortable in matters of court, estate management, and affairs of the heart, but he is at ease among men on war campaigns. She is his way to the land and the continuation of the family line, certainly not his beloved better half. The other is a "man of the future", charismatic, skilled in court intrigue, educated in reading, writing, arithmetic and languages. And he is ambitious. He is also used to getting away with everything, without any consequences. She is a muse for him, who flows with him affectionately whenever they bump into each other. And then there's her, caught between (not only) those two and their decades-long rivalry for power, position, favour and property (which includes her). Rashomon's approach is used with sensitivity, it's not an overdone "three times the same situations diametrically opposed". On the contrary, when the situations are reenacted, they differ in nuance and staging, basically in the details where the devil is hidden. It all adds up to a thrilling final duel that, in terms of adrenaline, stakes and emotion, is among the best chivalric action ever to grace the screen – the best, not the most faithful, because it denies all the laws of historical fencing. But to hell with that. Perhaps the only thing missing is the view of someone impartial not caught up in the whirlwind of the trio's events. If there's anything to single out by name, apart from the aforementioned duel, it's the multi-layered performance of Jodie Comer, who must be completely different three times and yet still the same character, and – I can't believe I'm writing this – the performance of Ben Affleck, who relishes the role of the debauched, string-pulling lord to the fullest. (24/10/2021)

Ridley Scott and his historic comeback! I put this film off for quite a while, but I'm surprisingly pleased with the result. Scott relies on an unconventional theme, which he tells from three different points of view, and since I love the courts, history and the actors, I did without yawning and suffering, which I feared due to the lack of action scenes. In the first third Ridley serves up a couple of shorter battles, wonderfully raw and brutal – even though they lasted barely two minutes, it was still a treat and I'm quite annoyed that he didn't extend them to at least five minutes. Technically, the film is top notch, the costumes, the sets, the locations are very believable. The dialogue is top notch, the actors give their best. Matt Damon is superb, Jodie Comer is impressive, and Adam Driver is sleazy as a snake (I'm not really into Driver yet, his film choices don't really suit me), and the tense trial and the incredibly intense final duel were also great, more or less demanding 5 stars because it had everything and lacked nothing. A solid historical film that I may even repeat once, but I give Ridley a minor slap for the short battles, next time I want the carnage! Story 4/5, Action 3/5, Humor 0/5, Violence 3/5, Fun 4/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 5/5, Atmosphere 5/5, Suspense 4/5, Emotion 4/5, Actors 5/5. 8.5/10. (20/01/2022)

This ingenious variation on the concept of three different perspectives on a single event, which was most famously presented in Kurosawa’s Rashomon, is built on a carefully constructed screenplay and its solid execution. But here the confusedly reconstructed historical setting (immersive battles and artificial-looking cities) fully serves the interests of the story and the characters, who, together with the actors playing them, carry this excellent film. Though, following the model of Rashomon, The Last Duel is primarily concerned with a single moment; the depiction of the broader context is essential for the film, because it is in that context that both of the individual actors present themselves, or rather how they perceive themselves. Self-regard and self-presentation are the root of the clash of perspectives, and at the core stands a brilliant illustration of how the whole of history is distorted by the fact that it was formulated by men. The final third of the film offers the perspective or rather the truth of a woman in relation to “truths” from the perspective of men. It’s not only the fact that, from a dramatic point of view, everything for which the script gradually lays the groundwork is brilliantly put to use, but primarily the fact that, with devastatingly unpleasant eloquence, it puts forth the absurdity of the maxim “this is a man’s world”, which looms over not only this particular story of one woman, which is told by two men, but also the entire history of a patriarchal society that not only fails to listen to women, but also a priori judges them according to its own established viewpoints. The woman’s perspective thus reveals not only her story in the shadow of men and their disregard, but also how their definition of themselves is shaped by privileges and ideals about themselves based on the fulfilment of particular contemporary masculine roles of the gallant knight protector and the honourable, erudite heartbreaker. Ridley Scott then brilliantly brings to life this intimate drama and all its levels within the perfectionist staging of a historical epic that does not draw attention to itself, but works as a necessary materialisation of a particular historical period characterised by strictly defined gender roles and norms. The final titular duel then gets its intensity not only thanks to its excellent formalistic depiction, but primarily because it represents a dramatic climax, which, unlike the opening sequence, we no longer perceive through the lens of the two male protagonists, as we rather identify with the woman who is forced to observe the whole situation. The Last Duel is thus an entirely atypical Hollywood project, whose large budget serves for the creation of an intimate drama with unfortunately far-reaching significance, and where the historical setting puts forth the negative traits that persist at the core of our society to this day. (20/10/2021)

The film of the year. Ridley is still a master of the craft, but the biggest stars here are both the actors (of whom, of course, the fragile and unbreakable Comer leaves the biggest impression in terms of sympathy, but the slimy charismatic Driver and especially the scarred and charismatic Damon also rock) and the screenplay, which Ben and Matt have once again divinely baked. The structure of the shifting point of view of the three characters, always revealing a little more of the one and unquestionable truth, must be satisfying for both narratologists nitpickingly analysing the processes of narrative, and for 'ordinary' viewers who want a bit of an intellectual challenge from the film and are happy to give it their full attention. Three versions of a story about one rape, male vanity and pride, and female suffering in a crazy, lord-controlled era, culminate in a finale that I experienced as I haven't in a long time because of its emotional intensity and unpredictability. The pinnacle of contemporary #MeToo filmmaking, cleverly using historical backdrops to highlight its timeless ideas and not requiring overly sweeping action to make it a riveting dramatic experience. 90 % (15/01/2022)

Ridley Scott is a unique filmmaker, each of his great historical films is unique in style, concept and narrative. From classic linear swords and sandals (Gladiator), to a spiritual journey (Kingdom of Heaven), to peasants running around the woods in cool packs (Robin Hood). The Last Duel is most similar to Robin Hood in aesthetics and production design, but it is more serious, topical and layered in content. It's the story of a strong woman who was ahead of her time in thought (and courage). A breathtaking acting tour de force in an original and daring script, spiced with phenomenal visual stylisation, darkened camera filters and a fierce final sword fight. There isn't as much action as usual and the running time is a bit too long, mainly due to the fact that some shots are repeated several times due to the way the story is told – which is also basically the only flaw. (16/12/2021)