The Duellists

"The folly of man on beautiful display. One of my favorite films.""

"The Duellists 4⭐/5⭐ + Absurdly funny in terms of tone. Thankfully Ridley Scott is no stranger to humor even when telling a story this violent and brutal. This is well cast with Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel perfectly matched. The dueling scenes are violent and visceral; the sword fights in particular taking on vicious quick cuts and claustrophobic close-ups to give a cutting perspective of what we are watching. These scenes are not about entertainment, they are about actions coming directly from the characters and their motivations, whether sensible or not. It's violence that speaks volumes about man's tragic ego. It's beautifully shot, containing some of the most gorgeous, sweeping cinematography ever put to film with sets and costumes that all complement each other in the best way. Great directorial debut film by Ridley Scott. - Sometimes the movie goes from absurdist humor to serious dramatic tension via score cues without it feeling organic. The years separating the different events happen so fast that sometimes the narrative feels crammed. Also, I do love the two main performances (along with some smaller supporting roles), but the great attention to detail made the non-French actors stand out sometimes. Having a French cast would have added enormously to the audience's immersion into that world. I don't know why Ridley Scott tends to do this with his period pieces, but it can take away from the otherwise stunning depiction of the period he brings to life so perfectly. Overall: An absurdly funny take on two dueling rivals over the course of Napoleon's rule. I loved the mix of underlying humor and tragic human folly. One of the best looking films ever made. It also has great leads, but may have also benefited from a French cast to add to its already authentically stunning depiction of 19th Century France. My main gripe is with the runtime. It actually could have been longer, something you can rarely say about movies. "