Ridley Scott delivered one of the biggest and best historical action epics with 2000’s Gladiator. But, since that film’s release, his other films in the same genre have been severely overlooked. With the exception of 2024’s Gladiator II, Ridley Scott’s more recent historical action movies failed to land in the same way with critics and at the box office. Napoleon was a notorious box office bomb, while 2010’s Robin Hood was contentious among critics, and Kingdom of Heaven drastically underperformed. But perhaps Ridley Scott’s most underrated movie of all time falls in the same genre. Thankfully, it just landed on a new streaming platform, and it’s looking for redemption.
Released in 2021 to almost no fanfare, Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel just landed on streaming. The film was added to Paramount+’s streaming library on Jun. 1. The historical action thriller has yet to make it onto Paramount+’s weekly charts. But, we’re urging you to check out the movie while it’s still on streaming, as it deserved far better than its box office run. Released during the COVID pandemic, The Last Duel was a major box office flop. It grossed just over $30 million worldwide, against a staggering budget of $100 million.
The Last Duel is far better than its poor box office performance suggests. Written by Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon, the film starred Damon and Affleck, alongside Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, Harriet Walter, and Alex Lawther. Set in the 14th Century, the film tells the story of the last trial by combat in France. Damon plays Sir Jean de Carrouges, who must defend the honor of his wife, Marguerite de Carrouges (Jodie Comer), when she accuses a fellow knight, Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), of assault. The accusation puts all their lives in danger, and can only be settled by a grueling duel to the death.
‘The Last Duel’ Deserved Better
The Last Duel‘s release date was unfortunate. After sinking nearly $100 million into the film and assembling an A-list cast, the COVID pandemic came out of nowhere and massively stunted the film’s earning potential. In the years since its release, it has been considered something of a cult classic, but it is still vastly underrated by audiences.
The film holds a strong 85% Rotten Tomatoes score, with an 81% audience rating. All good signs. But the film only has 1,000 verified user reviews, which is minuscule compared to Ridley Scott’s other big hits. That’s not to say the film’s audience rating is untrustworthy, only that more people need to watch The Last Duel, as it’s definitely one of Scott’s most underrated films.
Will Ridley Scott Make Another Historical Action Movie?
Many thought that Gladiator II would be the last instance of Scott venturing back in time for a movie. But, during the film’s press tour, he revealed that he already had ideas for a sequel. However, in the nearly two years since, Gladiator III hasn’t received a single update from the director. As he’s working on eight new projects, including the upcoming post-apocalyptic action thriller, The Dog Stars, Gladiator III may never happen.
SOURCE: movieweb