The Last Duel – A Film Review

I normally wouldn’t do a film review, as my reviews of films usually last one sentence. ‘It was alright.’ Or ‘It was shit.’ Or ‘It was awesome, I loved it!’ I went to see medieval epic The Last Duel – screenplay written by Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Nicole Holofcener, directed by Ridley Scott and starring the aforementioned Damon, Affleck, Adam Driver and Jodie Comer. Big names, big event. I have to give a special mention to Dame Harriet Walter DBE who was just fearsome as Nicole de Carrouges (Matt Damon’s character’s Mum.) You may have seen her in Killing Eve, Star Wars The Force Awakens, Succession or Ted Lasso recently. She has acting credits as long as your arm and is always on form. She is fucking brilliant.

My one line review for the film: ‘It was alright.’ The critics have raved about it, giving it good marks, but it’s considered a flop at the box office because it’s only taken like 25% of it’s budget so far. A little coincidental side note – my Mum and Dad and their lovely friends booked to see the film, at the same time and place as me. So we went to get food together before the film and even though I’m a fully fledged adult with a decent job and some spare money for a burger, my Mum paid for my food. Thanks Mum! Whilst we’re on my parents, here’s what Mumma Bear thought:

Upset me. If I’d known the subject I wouldn’t have gone. Glorifying man’s perceived superiority over women!!

My mum

Now you can tell she’s serious in her dislike because of the double exclamation marks. I have to say, I agree with her point of view. The film did glorify man’s perceived superiority over women. More on that to come. Here’s what Poppa Toone thought:

Well whom ever was in charge of the casting needs to get a rocket… Damon nearly as bad as Woody Costner… 2 out of 10.

My dad

Just so we’re clear ‘Woody Costner’ is Dad’s nickname for Kevin Costner and harks back to his eponymous performance of Robin Hood in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. Essentially Dad says that performance was shit which causes a small amount of continual consternation for my sister who maintains it’s one of her favourite films. I just think the late Alan Rickman is stellar as the Sheriff of Nottingham and it was rumoured that a lot of Rickman’s performance was cut because he acted the pants off Costner. Anyway enough of family politics. I agree with my Dad as well. The acting was not the best. When you compare Damon to Driver or Comer, he is found wanting.

What I took away from the film was in agreement with my Mum. If you look at it as a Medieval based romantic / action movie with some politics mixed in, then it might be what you’re after. There’s a few scenes which are pretty horrendous and I will give a trigger warning for sexual violence and gore. The thing that irked me though was how the film itself played up the fact that Comer’s character was to be believed over the two men. There are three chapters to the film and you sit through Damon and Driver’s character’s perspectives before you get to Comer’s. But when the written intro to her perspective comes up on a black background ‘The Truth’ lingers on screen before continuing with the movie. This directorial choice suggests to me that she is the character to believe over the two men.

If this is the point being made, why the fuck have I just had to suffer through over an hour’s worth of false perspective, where all that happens is the two male lead characters get to wave their wangers around and think of themselves as big men? Adding to the false narrative that men hold sway over women which persists today. I suppose it highlights their arrogance and self-righteousness when compared to the true perspective. However if the whole point of the film was to empathise with Comer’s character, then why not just make the whole fucking thing about her story. Highlight her character and the hubris of the two men will show through by decent acting around her. It has left me thinking that if we are to right the imbalance between male and female in films then we must try harder and start looking at the roots of stories. Build stories from the ground up for women, cut the shit and highlight the truth of women through their own eyes.