Adam Driver may be no Jedi Knight in Star Wars, but he does play a medieval one in Ridley Scott’s upcoming film The Last Duel. The movie is set to come out later this month, and we have a new extended clip featuring Driver and Matt Damon beginning their duel to the death.
Though the story does revolve around the duel between the characters of Damon and Driver, at the very center is that of Jodie Comer’s character Marguerite. The movie actually deals with a real-life account of the last ever recognized trial by combat, and follows a duel of two men after one’s wife accuses the other man of assaulting her. With no evidence to present, a trial by combat is then called, with “God” said to be deciding the winner.
The story is said to be a cultural legend in France, and has been at the center of several debates on morality. If anything, it kind of looks like Game of Thrones mixed with the themes of Doubt (2008).
Here’s the official description:
The historical epic is a cinematic and thought-provoking drama set in the midst of the Hundred Years War that explores the ubiquitous power of men, the frailty of justice and the strength and courage of one woman willing to stand alone in the service of truth. Based on actual events, the film unravels long-held assumptions about France’s last sanctioned duel between Jean de Carrouges (Damon) and Jacques Le Gris (Driver), two friends turned bitter rivals. Carrouges is a respected knight known for his bravery and skill on the battlefield. Le Gris is a Norman squire whose intelligence and eloquence make him one of the most admired nobles in court. When Carrouges’ wife, Marguerite (Comer), is viciously assaulted by Le Gris, a charge he denies, she refuses to stay silent, stepping forward to accuse her attacker, an act of bravery and defiance that puts her life in jeopardy. The ensuing trial by combat, a grueling duel to the death, places the fate of all three in God’s hands.
Catch The Last Duel when it hits theaters on Oct. 15.
