If you want to watch something that has well-developed characters and plot and will really pull you in, give this a go.

It think the strongest thing about this movie is the storytelling, which is very mature, thoughtful and well-paced. It turns what would otherwise be another medieval action flick into an engrossing study about injustices, conflict and how human beings relate with each other. The acting is amazing and it's nice to see Ben Affleck in an unusual role, which he really nails.

Ridley Scott delivers again.

Going into watching this I wasn't expecting anything else but some quality period piece with the bonus of sounds and images of glistening swords and all manner of medieval paraphernalia. This being a Ridley Scott film, I was of course expecting being at least thoroughly entertained.

I suppose me writing a review should mean my expectations were _exceeded_.

In short, "The Last Duel" is actually somewhat of a crime thriller, a "who dun it" story. It is a well built slow-burn movie, if these things are in your style. Acting was top-notch all the way through, even for familiar faces of Affleck and Damon. It seems Scott had his muse with him making this because it's kind of the sum of its constituent parts that makes it work as well as it did for me -- it doesn't skimp on the visuals (with medieval dramas I believe set pieces are important to a degree), actors are professional -- like I said even Affleck and Damon do a splendid job that didn't have me evoke any of their other more mundane roles -- , and the plot burns with a engaging flame like a candle.

I don't like movies that are only cerebral or only everything but. Last night I watched "Prey" which I heard was one to watch, and frankly I was bored 10 minutes in. This one I can recommend for the objective quality factor at least, however; but to each their own, of course.

I wouldn't want to leave this review without mentioning the important message -- yes, really -- that tried to show the enormous weight medieval women had to metaphorically carry and live with, even those admitted in king's court, their plight while being merely a leaf in the wind of fate, among feuding men. This movie made me reach deep into my moral core feeling compassion for the women who lived some half a millenia ago. And it did so in a way deserving of their legacy, if one dares to say so. As banal as it may sound, it had me thinking about the horrors medieval Christianity inflicted on everyone, and about fraternity culture between such men for whom women never became anything but objects.

There were quite a number of reasons for wanting to see 'The Last Duel'. Ridley Scott has made some great films, such as 'Alien', 'Blade Runner' and 'Thelma and Louise'. The story structure, the same event told from three different points of view and with three stories, sounded fascinating and ambitious. Love films set in medieval periods. The cast also promised a lot, have liked some of the work of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, Adam Driver has impressed me in much of his work and this reviewer fell in love with Jodie Comer ever since binge watching 'Killing Eve'.

Seeing it, 'The Last Duel' had a lot of great things and was interesting. It was also though rather disjointed and falls short in a few areas. Of the two 2021 films Scott directed, the other being 'House of Gucci', my vote for the better film goes to this. Despite also being very uneven, 'The Last Duel' is more focused tonally, more involving with not as many pacing issues and although not all the performances work none are as bad as Jared Leto's in that film, despite being a fan of a higher number of actors in that film.

Am going to start with the good. On the most part, 'The Last Duel' looks very lavish and atmospheric in the costumes and settings and is also beautifully shot. The music is a wonderful mix of haunting, rousing and hypnotic, as well as cleverly and ravishingly orchestrated. Scott's direction on the most part is accomplished and much more assured than in 'House of Gucci'. Of the performances, the best comes from a truly incadescent Comer, helped by that she is the most interesting character and that her story is the most consistently compelling of the three, and the final act is truly powerful emotionally and in suspense.

Driver is very good too, with lots of authority and intensity, his character is interesting and complex and there is real suspense in seeing whether he did what he was accused of or not. The action on the whole enthralls and is suitably uncompromising, not shying away from the cruelty of war and the aftermath. The final duel is spectacularly staged and shockingly brutal. There is some thought provoking dialogue and the story structure does compel generally, especially in the final act.

Having said that, the execution of the story isn't completely successful. Did find the first story/act rather dull and stagy on the whole, with some very stilted dialogue, and there are times where the film is a little too repetitive. The dialogue has moments, but too much of it (especially in the first act) is self-indulgent and awkward.

Furthermore, Damon came over as rather bland, one that needed more authority and intensity but saw a lot of forced angry moments and looking haughty from Damon. Driver had the more complex character and hasn't been acting for as long, but managed to be a lot more convincing when it came to the authority and the intensity. Affleck's performance is also truly bizarre and out of place, even for a character that drinks a lot and a party animal sort of character Affleck throughout his screen time looked and spoke like someone would recovering from a bad hangover. There is some very jumpy and choppy editing that gave the film a sense of incompleteness.

Interesting and ambitious film with many great things and moments of brilliance, but also rather disjointed. 6/10.