VENICE 2021: The Last Duel
VENICERidley Scott releases the first of two epics in 2021: the yet-to-be-released The House of Gucci and the first and foremost medieval epic, The Last Duel. A mixture between Scott's debut, The Duelists, and his thematically profound and open scope of the likes of Gladiator and The Kingdom of Heaven. The famed and vastly underrated director serves up yet another beast of an epic in a Rashomon-inspired narrative that crafts a gruelling and multifaceted approach to a harrowing and often brutal story.
Restraint on the scope of setting and era, with a direct focus on the immersive emotional scale of the story and characters. The Last Duel is an incredibly well-balanced mechanic of not simply showcasing the enigmatic but providing a unique and creative decision to analyse such a devastating event that is depicted with not only the implication on an external level but the devastating effects internally.
Splitting itself into three chapters that provide the story from the perspective of each lead character respectively curates not only a fascinating watch but a nuanced depiction of perception. Small but subtle details are removed and added that create altering moments that, while they feel diminutive in action, in fact, uphold quite the impact further down the running time. Each performance consistently takes on new meaning, new depth and fresh layers in each chapter – a courtesy no doubt of the talent afforded to Scott with the likes of Matt Damon, Adam Driver and the utterly fantastic Jodie Comer at his disposal.
In each respective performance, allocated is a differing nuanced projection. Subtlety is involved here, no doubt, but it is that said curation of layers and ability to shake and shiver into a different internal ecosystem and present a different reality that feels organic and authentic. Damon and Driver, while excellent, have it somewhat easy. That very shake, while effective, is only a slight nuance in each respective perception and chapter. It is Comer who has the film resting on her shoulders and is left to showcase this reflection and retraction in all three chapters, and in two, having to craft a harrowing ordeal that leaves the viewer sickened. Nevertheless, the gentle and tenderness Comer brings in the chapters openings effectively crafts a hardened and emotionally devastated character by the end, and it is one with transfixing and monumental levels of range and depth. Ultimately, if Scott’s The Last Duel does anything, it is to cement Comer as the next big thing. Killing Eve led the groundwork, Frey Guy exploded her image but The Last Duel cements the actress as a phenomenal talent with an intoxicating level of skill in abundance.
One aspect of production that did worry many is that same scene discussed above. Thankfully, Scott and director of photography Dariusz Wolski handle the topic rather well yet showcase such terror in that very description. It is horrifying and brutal to the point of questionable overindulgence. To haunt the audience, said depiction adequately outlines the antagonist and showcases the event in traumatising honesty. Still, the close-ups and camera feel invasive to the point of genuine uncomfortably. Thankfully, and most importantly, said inclusion and depiction never in any way exonerates or excuses the perpetrator.
One such element not to worry about is the cinematic skill behind the camera; the filmmaking throughout is outstanding. As aforementioned, the scale and scope of vision are restrained here in comparison to previous epic pastures of old, but that does not mean that Scott does not get his way of crafting a fabulous looking feature. At all times, the camera is placed to perfection, almost effortlessly so that the viewer forgets they are watching through a camera lens. This is not as polished as The Martian or Alien Covenant – The Last Duel looks and sounds murky with grit. The brutality of the setting is incorporated well. The claustrophobic encasement of the castle walls and the warmth of the fire is inviting, with the lighting looking fabulous and naturally implemented effortlessly, even when faux. The costume design looks equally as stunning with grace and mood.
Nevertheless, even when the camera is static for most of the running time, at the age of 84, Scott produces action like a director forty years his junior. Nobody comes close with Scott's experience and understanding of scene blocking and framing. The composition and scale of the image look spectacular and changes brevity in an instance if the feature needs to do so. The climatic epilogue is a sure-fire example of crafting exquisite camera work, with ferociously timed and fluid editing from Claire Simpson. Removing non-diegetic sound and implementing the rush of diegetic mayhem is one small but effective manner of total emotional immersion, with yet another fabulous Kingdom of Heaven-like score from composer Harry Gregson-Williams, which works to perfection.
The Last Duel is not a simplistic medieval epic. It is a feature with poignant themes of gross misogyny and abuse, on a physical, emotional, and political/social level. All depicted in venom and fire, such elements are crafted in deeply harrowing and traumatic ways but are showcased in honest reflective brutality. It feels more than apt to showcase the poor evolution of our species, with such terrors being depicted almost seven hundred years ago yet are still grossly appropriate in the age of release. If anything is to be taken in Scott's latest from numerous avenues of a distinguishing feature, it is that the race of men has much to learn and improve upon in their ignorance and horror.
