The Last Duel (4 Stars)

I have very wide-ranging tastes in films. I watch and enjoy films from any genre, as long as they're good. The word good is subjective, I know. What I may consider good might be awful for others. And yet, there are certain films I shy away from. The description of this film on my cinema's website put me off. I don't like period films set between the Middle Ages and the 19th Century. I wouldn't have gone to see it if the director hadn't been Ridley Scott. I trust him to make good films. And I wasn't disappointed.

The film is about two squires who become friends in the 1370's. Both serve Count Pierre d'Alencon. Jacques Le Gri (Adam Driver) is a highly educated scholar who's in Pierre's good favour. Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) is a simple illiterate man who repeatedly angers Pierre with his blunt manner.

In 1386 Jean returns home from Paris, and his wife Marguerite tells him that she's been raped by Jacques. He complains to Pierre, who laughingly dismisses the case. Jean appeals to the king for the right to avenge his wife's honour in trial by combat. Simply put, the winner of a battle to the death decides Marguerite's fate. If Jean wins, Jacques is posthumously declared a rapist. If Jacques wins, Marguerite is declared a liar and will be burnt at the stake.

The film is made up of three chapters before the fight begins. In each of the chapters the story is told from a different perspective: "The truth according to Jean de Carrouges", "The truth according to Jacques Le Gri" and "The truth according to Marguerite de Carrouges". It's fascinating to see how the accounts differ. My only complaint is that they're too similar. A little more deviation would have helped the plot more.

It's an epic film, and the final battle is brutal. Women in the audience cried out as the duel took place.

Trial by combat was seldom in 14th Century France, but this was the last time it was carried out before it was outlawed. It really was the last duel.