The Last Duel

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⭐ 8.5/10

(Originally written by Tim)

Getting my review up because Joe just watched and I want to make sure my opinions are here first. What an awesome movie! I was blown away that more people haven't been talking about this. Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, by Ridley Scott!? How could this movie ever be bad.

The plot is set up around two rivals, and when one rapes the other's wife the titular last duel is set up. I was kind of bored in the first 30 minutes, not super in to the period or the plot, but then all of a sudden the second act starts, and its the same thing I watched from a different perspective!

I thought this plot device was amazing. We see the rivalry and assault from 3 perspectives, each one with subtle differences in main memories, dynamics, even camera angles to emphasize how things can be misinterpreted. I thought it was genius, and made you feel crummy for all people involved, especially during the wife's perspective.

Comer gets a chance to do a Tyrion impression at a painful trial, where archaic ideas about God and procreation make you want to rip your hair out. She has zero agency, and her fate is left up to the two terrible men fighting, the winner being God's ordained champion and proving or disproving her guilt.

The actual last duel is amazing, super brutal and felt realistic to what jousting and hand-to-hand knight combat would be like. Muddy, bloody, and hard to watch. Apologies to the old woman next to me on my flight!

Great movie, obviously an important story for our time, and apparently based on a true story. Watch it!

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