The Last Duel (2021) – Honor. Truth. Survival.

In a world of men, justice must be fought for blade by blade.

The Last Duel (2021) is a historical epic directed by Ridley Scott, based on the true story of France’s final officially sanctioned duel. Set in 14th-century Normandy, the film delves deep into themes of justice, pride, and the consequences of power in a society ruled by men and silenced by hierarchy. With a powerful cast led by Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, and Ben Affleck, it is both a brutal medieval spectacle and a haunting exploration of truth through three conflicting perspectives.

The story follows Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon), a respected knight returning from war, and Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), his once-trusted squire turned rival. Their friendship collapses when Carrouges’s wife, Marguerite (Jodie Comer), accuses Le Gris of a terrible crime. In a world that refuses to believe women, Marguerite’s courage threatens to shake the foundation of feudal power. With the courts unwilling to deliver justice, Carrouges challenges Le Gris to trial by combat—a duel to the death that will decide not only their fates but the truth itself.

Told from three different viewpoints, the film masterfully portrays how memory and ego distort reality. Each chapter reveals another layer of betrayal, manipulation, and pride, culminating in a heart-stopping duel that stands as one of the most visceral and emotional sequences in modern cinema.

Ridley Scott’s direction brings authenticity and grit to the medieval world—mud, blood, and steel blending into a grimly beautiful canvas of honor and hypocrisy. The Last Duel is more than a story of vengeance; it’s a reflection on gender, power, and the cost of speaking the truth in a time when silence was survival.