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Ridley Scott delivered one of his finest historical epics in recent years with The Last Duel, a gripping drama as magnificently rendered as it is unflinchingly evocative.
The film chronicles the real-life 14th century case of the last legally sanctioned duel in France, and how the abuse of power can easily obscure the truth. It is a narrative as resonant now as when it was written.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck show off their screenwriting chops in crafting a Shakespearean tale of betrayed honor and human inhumanity told from shifting perspectives. Jodie Comer receives well-deserved praise for her excellent performance.
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But it is all underpinned by riveting central performances from Adam Driver, Damon and Affleck. Their swashbuckling gifts are matched only by the actors' interpersonal tensions.
Behind the camera, Scott delivers a technical masterclass in transporting viewers to this unforgiving period comparable only to his best films. Every frame could hang in a museum.
The Last Duel leaves a deep impression as a demanding but deeply rewarding cinematic achievement that is unafraid to look dark truths squarely in the face.
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Although its complex truths deserved a wider audience, The Last Duel faced an uphill battle to secure its rightful place in the awards and at the box office.
Jodie Comer received a well-deserved Golden Globe nomination for her harrowing lead performance, which brings a righteous fury to medieval injustice.
She also impressed guilds such as the Makeup Artists and Hairdressers for her period craftsmanship. Unfortunately, Scott and company's harrowing epic failed to win any other major awards.
Commercially, it grossed a modest but unsurprising $27 million domestically against a $100 million budget, and scored a bigger international hit, with $90 million more worldwide.