THE LAST DUEL
MATT DAMON AND BEN AFFLECK
reunite, on the screen and at the keys (joined by co-screenwriter Nicole Holofcener) for this brutal, engaging drama set in 1300s France. In a Rashomon- style series of chapters, a dark saga unfolds, from the point-of-view of struggling landowner Jean de Carrouges (Damon), his wife Marguerite (Jodie Comer), and ambitious squire Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver). After levelling an accusation against Le Gris, Marguerite unknowingly faces a terrible fate, and the truth of the matter must be decided, in the eyes of God and the law, by mortal combat. With a compelling structure and fascinating characters brought to life by some strong performances, The Last Duel is a truly memorable movie. Fox’s marketing actually works against it, with the ads promising a history-making feminist tale, when in fact Marguerite’s role is merely a supporting one.
Director Ridley Scott brought us Kingdom of Heaven and Gladiator, and his attention to period nuances is spot-on once again here. Lensed digitally by Dariusz Wolski, the true 4K 2.39:1 image is pretty ugly, but beautifully so, revealing the craggy textures of castle walls and the weave of filthy carpets and costumes. Color has been deliberately dialed down such that an orange flame or crimson banner might feel like it’s bursting with life relative to the rest of the frame, but even then in a restrained way. This is a bleak world that’s depicted, but one lit realistically by fire or limited sunlight thanks in large part to high dynamic range.
The soundtrack offers plenty of bustle on the battlefields, in marketplaces, and at various well-attended celebrations, with folks milling about and muttering, blacksmiths perpetually clanging away, and hooves beating to and fro. A crackling nearby fireplace can add a bit of low-key ambience in quieter moments as well, while the intensity of the titular duel owes much to Dolby Atmos, which adds urgency to the deadly weapons and also emotion to the sea of onlookers. It also gives us a big, spacious presentation of Harry Gregson
Williams’ musical score. (It’s worth noting that the included regular HD Blu-ray has
DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 sound only, with no immersive option.)
That same regular Blu-ray disc also carries The Last Duel’s only bonus feature, a half-hour, fly-on-the-wall “making of” created by Scott’s granddaughter. It’s a largely mundane production, but memorable as one of the first where COVID protections are ubiquitous. A Movies Anywhere digital copy is supplied.