The big-name movie releases have started to pour out, and I had to catch up after being gone last weekend. I was able to knock out three new releases, two in the theaters and one on Netflix. One was a slasher, one I thought was going to be horror, but was more like a folk tale, and one was an action/drama. Sadly, only one of them was good, and that was The Last Duel. There’s Someone Inside Your House, a Netflix release, was the slasher film. It had some serious Scream vibes, but it fell flat after the opening scene. Lamb was an Icelandic film that I was expecting to be horror, but it was really just weird. A couple ends up with a half lamb half kid that they raise as their own. It was a slow burn that lacked substance. Thankfully The Last Duel redeemed the weekend with a depressing and intense tale that was so compelling, I do not know how people were willing to go to the bathroom and miss parts of it.
This tale took place in the late 1300s in France, and it took the perspective of three different people, and for the most part, no one comes off looking too great, except for Marguerite, Jodie Comer. The main conflict was between Jean, Matt Damon, and Jacques, Adam Driver. So clearly this cast was loaded, not to mention that Ben Affleck had a supporting role as Pierre. Initially Jean and Jacques were friendly and went to battle together, and Jean even saved Jacques’s life, but after that their bond slowly disintegrates. Jacques gets selected to be Pierre’s accountant, and this leads to Jacques screwing over Jean two times in quick succession. First Jacques takes part of the land that was promised to Jean in his dowery from his marriage to Marguerite. Then when Jean’s father passes, Jacques takes control of the estate, which further enrages Jean. At a big party, they make up, but Jacques falls in love with Marguerite. So, while Jean is out on a trip to collect his pay from his latest campaign, Jacques comes to Jean’s house and rapes Marguerite. When Jean finds out, he takes Jacques to court and the result is a trial by combat.
The biggest piece of the movie was that it took on three perspectives, and one would think that in each person’s perspective their actions would be releasing them of guilt, but in both Jean and Jacques’s portions, neither of them came off looking great, and they both looked bad in Marguerite’s perspective. There was a ton of fake honor and chest puffing for people that were supposed to be chivalrous. In the scenes that were repeated multiple times, it was interesting to see the small changes in each one. It might just be a slight change in the dialogue or how an action was perceived, but the interpretation could be changed largely just from a couple words either being added or taken away.
Jean’s perspective was first, and he clearly villainized Jacques throughout, except for the opening fight scene. According to Jean, Jacques was basically to blame for all the bad that had happened to him. Next was Jacques’s point of view, which initially painted him in a sympathetic way. It initially seems like he was on Jean’s side most of the time, but Pierre was steering him wrong, but any sympathy gained for him is quickly evaporated when it comes to the scene with Marguerite. Even from Jacques’s point of view it seemed clear that he raped her despite his delusions that she was just saying no because she was married. Lastly was Marguerite’s point of view, which was the most impressive of them all. She was incredibly intelligent throughout, but she had to put up with the most adversity. First, as a woman in the 1300s she had little to no say. So, she gets married off to a man who cared a little too much about what the dowery included, and he did not care that Marguerite was there to hear his protests. Jean came off as very selfish and unintelligent in her portrayal of him. She was smart enough to run the estate while Jean was gone, and she was able to do it even better than Jean. Then when it came to the climactic scene, Jacques came off even worst. The rape scene was disgusting and disturbing, but the trial after tried was just as gross in the way that she was treated.
The main theme of the movie was the lack of trust and disrespect for women, which coming from Ridley Scott surprised me, not that I have an ill opinion of him, but most of his filmography comes from action and aliens. The main event of the film comes from Jacques’s rape of Marguerite. When she told Jean about it, he reacted violently, and he was initially reluctant to even believe her, but eventually he did get on board to take Jacques to court. During this time, Jean had to make the accusation of the rape, Marguerite, since she was a woman, was not allowed to take any legal action. Then when the initial trial started Pierre was the judge, so clearly, he was going to find his friend Jacques innocent, but when the trial got taken to the King’s court, it did not go much better for Marguerite. There she was intensely interrogated about the intimacies of her sex life with Jean and repeated question about whether she had pleasure while she was being raped. It was a disgusting interrogation in front of a massive crowd. Marguerite was also pregnant at this time, and the science of the time said a woman could only get pregnant from a pleasurable experience, and since she got pregnant right around the time of the rape, they tried to say that it might not be a rape if she was pregnant. A repulsive idea. Even with her testimony, they did not believe her, so it was left to a trial by combat. If Jean were to lose to Jacques, Marguerite would be burned to death in a torturous execution, because if one loses in a trial by combat, that is God decreeing the person guilty. In the final battle I was literally on the edge of my seat because now unhappy endings are just as common as happy endings, so the result really could have gone either way.
The action in this movie was also incredible and gory. It was clear that this was the same guy that made Gladiator and knew what he was doing. From the opening scene in the film to the last fight, every action scene was superb. There is something artistic and beautiful to the close combat of medieval times where the primary weapon used was a sword. The close combat mixed with the dark gloomy back drop was just a spectacle to behold. It was also interwoven nicely within the story; it was not so overbearing that it was a pure action film. The balance of the serious subject matter with the action was in perfect proportion. Even in the final showdown, it seemed like it was going to be over quickly, but it kept going, but it did not feel like it was dragging on unnecessarily, it all felt purposeful and warranted.
Although this movie was long, two and a half hours, it was worth it. The build up to the final duel, and the pay off the duel gave was excellent, but this movie was about so much more than fighting. It had a strong message about rape and believing in women. It reminded me about the recent scandal with the Women’s National Gymnastics team, and how when the girls were interrogated, they felt like the agents did not believe them and were trying to find ways to blame them, just like Marguerite’s mother-in-law blamed Marguerite for even bringing the incident to light. Also, even though in the end Jacques was proven guilty, it was not a happy ending. It did not seem like there was any feeling of vindication for Marguerite. She still had to go through the terrible experience, although I am sure she was glad to be alive, nothing will ever be able to take away the horrible experience she went through. The acting in this movie was also strong throughout. Adam Driver plays an excellent villain that has hints of morality, like in Star Wars, where he was the bad guy, but he was clearly confused at moments about his decisions. Matt Damon’s performance in this was better than Stillwater, and Jodie Comer was also a star with her emotional performance. Plus, Ben Affleck is getting attention for his supporting role. I give this film 4.5 stars. It demands to be seen and on the big screen!
Other Films This Week:
Lamb: An unhappy couple’s lamb has a baby that is half human half lamb, and they instantly fall in love and start to raise it like a baby. It is a slow burn of a film, and it feels like that is part of the art. The scenery on their Icelandic farm was breathtaking and made it worth the watch by itself. The theme seemed centered on familial acceptance, but the ending was abrupt and unexpected. So it was hard to really say what their goal was. I cannot say I recommend it, but it is so weird that it almost needs to be seen.
There’s Someone Inside Your House is the story of a small high school in farm country, but somehow everyone has a serious secret. So, the killer murders the person and then reveals the secret. The opening scene had some suspense to it and could make the viewer uncomfortable, but after that it was just a crappy teen horror that was uncompelling with a minor twist that could have been predicted. It was a weird critique of hazing culture and the wealthy.
Halloween Kills: My personal favorite horror franchise has added another gem to its collection. The nostalgia appeal was excellent, there were many moments that felt like the original. The font and color used for the opening credit was the same as the original, and when the opening credits played with the Jack-o'-lantern and the theme played, I had goosebumps. I never had the chance to see the original in theaters, so this was the closest thing I will get, and I loved every minute of it.
New Rankings:
The Last Duel: 4.5 Stars
Lamb: 2.5 Stars
There’s Someone Inside Your House: 2 Stars
Halloween Kills: 3.5 Stars
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