Stanko's Stance

It is happening. I can not wait. Ridley Scott is back!

“King Charles VI declares that Knight Jean de Carrouges settle his dispute with his squire by challenging him to a duel.”

Director: Ridley Scott
Writer: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Nicole Holofcener
Staring: Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, Ben Affleck
Release Date: October 15, 2021

I can not wait for The Last Duel. I am a fan of almost anything Ridley Scott does, and you bring in a medieval aspect too it and I am beyond sold. The trailer is littered with obvious beautiful set pieces and the ridiculously deep and talented cast of Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer and Ben Affleck are going to get to explore those grounds and bring the audience some gossipy and bloody betrayal drama.

The story of The Last Duel is based off a true story set in the midst of the Hundred Years War. It works on the stories and legends surrounding Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) and Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), who are two friends turned foes taking part in the final formal duel of France. It is a battle between teacher and student. Brawn and brain. Naturally, their fight surrounds Marguerite de Carrouges (Jodie Cromer). She is assaulted by Gris, and against the norms of the times, she speaks out against him. Such an act leads to denials, death and despair for many.

Let’s be honest here. The Last Duel is a chance at award prestige and rebirth for Ridley Scott. He really loves to run hot and cold on his movies, and his latest one All The Money In The World (2017) did get one Oscar nomination but it was not the smoothest of productions. Scott had to do re-shoots to replace Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer and they took eight days and costed 10 million dollars. Plummer did get the Oscar nomination though.

Before All The Money In The World, there was the slightly disappointing but still enjoyable Alien: Covenant (2017). ANd to show the true helter skelter of Scott in the 2010s, he went Exodus: Gods And Kings (2014) then The Martian (2015). Just very bad to very good.

The Last Duel is a return to a drama period piece, and in that realm Scott has had success. Let’s not forget Gladiator (2000), Kingdom Of Heaven (2005), American Gangster (2007) and Robin Hood (2010). Here is to hoping that The Last Duel gets Scott back in the boat and sailing towards profitable and award winning seas.

Matt Damon has not had a credited role in a movie since 2019’s Ford v Ferrari, but this year he has Stillwater and The Last Duel. Ben Affleck proved he can escape the super hero well with 2020’s The Way Back, and this performance as Count Pierre d’Alençon is hopefully a way back to award prestige for him. Also we get Adam Driver getting to act over dramatic!

Jodie Cromer is breaking into the movie universe and I for one am buying all of her stock. Cromer is most known for stealing the show as Villanelle on BBC’s Killing Eve. In that show she has a fantastic sense of humor, which she will get to show off a bit in Free Guy (2021) which stars Ryan Reynolds and comes out later this year. But in this movie, The Last Duel, we are going to get to see Cromer battle it out on the screen with heavyweights and I want her to knock out the competition.

On a rather random note, the poster for The Last Duel is fire. Straight up awesome design.

The Last Duel is set to release in theaters October 15, 2021.

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