The Last Duel is a 2021 historical action and drama film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon, based on Eric Jagger’s 2004 book, The Last Duel: A True Story of Martial Trial in Medieval France. In medieval France, Damon plays Jean de Carrouges, a knight who challenges landowner Jacques Le Gris to a court duel after his ex-boyfriend Jean’s wife, Marguerite, accused him of raping him. The events leading up to the Duel are divided into three separate chapters that show the contrasting perspectives of the three protagonists. Affleck also plays the role of Count Pierre d’Alençon.
The Plot of The Last Duel
After serving in the Caroline Wars, French owners Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris swore allegiance to Count Pierre d’Alaincon, appointed by King Charles VI as Jean’s vassal. Later, Jacques tells Jean that Pierre has ordered him to gather war recruits, and when his brother explains that he has no money, he agrees to ask for a discount on Jean’s behalf.
To restore finances, Jean marries Marguerite de Thibouville and Marguerite’s father, Robert, promising them a great gift, resulting in a great fortune. However, Pierre confiscates Aunoux-le-Faucon’s valuable property, pays Robert’s taxes and hands it over to Jacques. Jacques gets a job in court using his accounting skills to manage Pierre’s finances. Jean leaves the case of King Charles, who denies the allegations. Pierre avenges his father’s death by appointing Captain Jacques to serve the Carrouge family.
The Last Duel Downsides
The downside is that the drama is dominated by men, while Comer does his best for the role. The tripartite structure means that Marguerite can only attract a third of our attention. Nor the 50% he receives in the court of patriarchal opinion. Although the design and direction are different, there is no doubt how heartbreaking these male characters are. But this is a sincere image with a narrative impulse.
While the palette-based images that pay homage to what Scott and company do best – the tribute to his anti-hero, whose last name translates to “grey” – are often surprising, the film’s storyline is not all-encompassing. . But that’s not a big deal either.
Review of The Last Duel: 3 Parts
The first part is from the perspective of her husband, Sir Jean de Carrouges (Damon). He is the one who did not fight and did nothing but have children because he never learned to read, write or show love. Stupid, stubborn, careless, brave with the knights, but always holding a grudge against the “evil”. Without tangling his hair, Damon fills this unhappy character nicely with all his raw edges and weaknesses.
The second episode takes place through the eyes of Jacques Le Gris (the Driver), the rapist and Carrouge’s ex-boyfriend. Poor but ambitious, handsome and literate, Le Gris makes good use of these talents to allude to the inner circle of Pierre (the decadent Affleck), the nephew of the king who rules the area. Le Gris does not allow a better shade of grey, but the host does his job skillfully. Carrouge’s late son was once the godfather of Le Gris’s, and he favoured the latter while taking advantage of Pierre Carrouge’s expenses.
The most effective and satisfying third episode is the story of Marguerite de Carrouges (Comer), which is, unfortunately, shortened. In the last left, Holofsener gives a short account of a woman treated as a gardener in medieval France, first by her father, then by her husband, and finally by the man who secretly admired her. The story is doubled in parts 1 and 2 (always set in a cold and gloomy landscape). The movie here is much brighter than the beautiful Marguerite, and she cares less about the details. Her husband is forced to play the second violin, captured by a careless husband and protected by his cruel mother-in-law.
The positives of the last Duel
Vibrant and witty, Ben Affleck does not like Carrouges and likes to read well, but he is most interesting as Count Pierre d’Alençon, far from the monk Le Gris as a companion to wine and couscous. Damon doesn’t look like Karrouge’s guy. And that really horrible hairstyle might have something to do with it. And Driver is probably as calm as the rebel Le Gris. Comer takes care of the beautiful Marguerite, who remains steadfast despite all her casual femininity.
The costumes are gorgeous, and Dariusz Wolski’s photos are deadly. Scattered battles are significant on a highly realistic day of mud and bloodshed. The fight involves saas-bahu fights, giggles, aunts waiting for gossip, fluttering breasts and nostalgic looks that shake the bright hallways.
