Ridley Scott’s new film is a tale of love, war and betrayed friendship, featuring a strong female character
After its debut, at the 78th edition of the Venice International Film Festival, Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel has become one of the most anticipated titles of the season. The film will hit Italian theaters on October 14th, 2021, and in the United States on the following day.
The Last Duel is a tale of love, war and betrayed friendship featuring a cast of stars:
Matt Damon (Will Hunting, Ford vs. Ferrari), Adam Driver (BlaKkKlansman, Marriage Story), Jodie Comer (Free Guy, Killing Eve) and Ben Affleck (Argo, Live by Night).
Based on the historical novel of the same name by Erig Jager, The Last Duel is set in the 14th century, in France: the film opens with the main subject, two men preparing to fight to death, however we don’t know what happened and how.
The revelation comes from the three protagonists: Jean de Carrouges, his wife Marguerite and his best friend, Jacques Le Gris. Each character has a different perception of the facts and their three perspectives make the film a crescendo: there are two squires, Jean and Jacques, who see themselves as two war heroes; the first (Matt Damon), feels like a caring and attentive husband, unfairly robbed of his title and lands; the second (Adam Driver), trusted man of Count Pierre d’Alençon (Ben Affleck), describes himself as cultured and charismatic, with a great influence on Marguerite; both characters are certain of the legitimacy and intensity of their love for the woman, but she will tell a different story.
Scene after scene the viewer will understand what really happened and the truth reveals those unclear nuances about Jean and Jacques that we couldn’t see at the beginning of the film. Marguerite, played by a fantastic Jodie Comer, is a central character: she’s a rebel who fights the codes of conduct of her time, which wanted women to suffer oppression and crimes in silence, often to protect the prestige of their families. Marguerite is a strong heroine: even if not physically in action, she operates behind the scenes, in order to have the opportunity to make her story public.
The film editing is imagined on The Last Duel’s compelling script (written by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Nicole Holofcener) and the actors live up to the expectations. Ridley Scott’s directing needs no introduction: from The Duellists to The Gladiator, the English filmmaker has repeatedly proved his skills in telling historical events and familiarity with war scenes.
The Last Duel is definitely a must see: an unmissable film for the chivalric genre lovers as well as for non-fans, who will find interesting thriller elements in it.
