STORY: Former friends Jacques Le Gris and Jean de Carrouge are all set for a duel, after the latter's wife Marguerite accuses the former of rape. What led to this situation where the two men have to battle it out in a deadly duel?
REVIEW: In this woke world, where mindfulness is the buzzword and consent is stressed on always, comes this tale narrated by Ridley Scott, known for his prowess in the historical genre. This film deals with a world where women were asked to keep quiet and had no voice. Seen as the property of the men in their household, it is unthinkable that they would speak up against sexual violence. The story, replete with violence especially in the climax, shows a tale of a woman's voice against rape much ahead of a world where women could say #MeToo.
The film begins dramatically with the climax, where we see Le Gris and Carrouge all set for a duel in front of the French aristocracy to figure out if the latter's wife Marguerite is right in her accusation. The bizarre way in which they seek divine answers through a duel between the accused, who is fighting to prove his innocence, and the husband, who is fighting for his wife's honour, with little space for the woman's voice to be heard is rather uncomfortable for us living today's world, albeit it is equally hard now as well.
The film is told in the Rashomon style, where we have three different perspectives to what led to the actual incident involving the duel. After all, history is not based on one viewpoint alone and this adaptation of the true incident tries to give the female perspective to film and full props to writers Matt Damon, Ben Afflect and Nicole Holofcener for trying to give it a well balanced view. Does this work? To a large extent, as it brings forth the important question of consent. There are instances that this is shown, where Le Gris does state that Marguerite did have customary protests, but she is only women. He is then advised to just deny it happened, as people will not understand the grey area. Similarly, Marguerite's friend thinks she could be wrong as she once thought Le Gris is handsome.
The most disturbing yet impactful scene is the trial, in front of the king, ahead of the duel. Marguerite is bombarded by a series of uncomfortable questions, by a group of only men, where they did not leave the question of whether she enjoyed sex with her husband or if that satisfied her. The stoic sadness with which she answers this leaves you hurt. Albeit, trials by the media are the same today too, which is another debate altogether. When Marguerite's mother-in-law confesses that she was raped too, and women should be quiet, it leaves one wondering about the world that the women lived in back then.
The Last Duel might have its jagged ends and might not be as grand or bombastic as Scott's earlier films, but it certainly puts forth pertinent questions that need to be discussed today. This historical drama has excessive violence and some gore too, but in the heart is about a woman unknowingly becoming the flagbearer for a new movement for people speaking against sexual assault. The cast delivers on demand and Jodie Comer steals the show with a measured performance that is applause worthy.