Forget Gladiator, Ridley Scott's $100M Historical Epic Is A Masterpiece From Start To Finish

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Published Oct 14, 2026, 9:00 PM EDT

Karlis has been obsessing over television and movie news since he first learned how to read. He has worked in tech, as a musician, and in journalism with a well-rounded knowledge base of pop-culture throughout the eras. He claims that he has memorized the entire Internet Movie Database, and to date no one has been able to refute this.
Holding a Bachelor's Degree in Religion and Culture from Wilfrid Laurier University, Karlis loves to examine the intersections of popular science-fiction and culture. His latest novel MASS. is available now on Amazon and examines a world where obesity has become a federal crime.

Gladiator is one of the finest epic films ever made, but one of director Ridley Scott's other more recent projects deserves a great deal more attention than it has received. The 2000 historical epic Gladiator remains beloved for its strong cast, fantastic script, and tremendous legacy in the genre after winning five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor.

It is not surprising that the great movie epic Gladiator has remained in discussion in the decades since. The film's place in the genre was so important that it even had a sequel made in 2024, which chronicled the story of Maximus' son. While the follow-up was not as strong as the first chapter, there was still much to enjoy.

Both are among Ridley Scott's best films, but the director genuinely has one of the most varied bodies of work in Hollywood history. From horror and science fiction films including Alien and Prometheus, to crime dramas like Thelma & Louise, the director has shown his proficiency across genres in telling fantastic and beloved stories.

With all of that said, where Scott has especially shone has been in the epic genre. Across various projects through different time periods, from The Duellists to Kingdom of Heaven, the director has carved out a fantastic place for himself in the pantheon of movie history. However, one of his best and most recent epics remains under-discussed.

The Last Duel Is The Best Ridley Scott Movie Of The Last Decade

Ridley Scott's fantastic 2021 movie The Last Duel is the director's best film since The Martian. Written by Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon, the film takes place in 14th-century France and chronicles an accusation of sexual assault that leads to a final duel between two men.

A historical epic with a Rashomon effect twist on its narrative, the film shows its events through three markedly different perspectives. This fantastic narrative device turn helps to create and then subvert audience expectations throughout the film, resulting in a genuinely unique experience.

Dark and unsettling, the film's fantastic production design is bolstered by its excellent performances. Jodie Comer is an enormous standout as Marguerite, whose perspective takes up the last chunk of the film. Adam Driver and Matt Damon deliver excellent central performances, and Ben Affleck plays a small but compelling role.

Granted, The Last Duel is a high point in a generally weaker part of Scott's career, which recently culminated in the box office failure of The Dog Stars. However, Scott has still released several excellent features during this period, including House of Gucci and All the Money in the World.

Overall, The Last Duel is clearly his best of a fairly mixed. With an 85% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, however, the film also remains a high creative point in the director's career overall. With all of that said, it did fail to make much of an impact upon release.

The Last Duel Deserved So Much Better

Ben Affleck looks on with a white beard in The Last Duel

Released in theaters in 2021, The Last Duel failed to connect with audiences. Worldwide, the film only made $30 million against a budget estimated at $100 million. This caused 20th Century Studios to lost a tremendous amount of money on The Last Duel, which is especially disappointing considering its excellent quality and fantastic ending.

Granted, the film was released during the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic and was marketed toward an older demographic that was less likely to return to cinemas in October 2021. Audiences who turned out in strong numbers for No Time to Die and Venom: Let There Be Carnage did not seem to have the same interest in this medieval epic.

Overall, The Last Duel deserved and deserves better. While the film's box office was a struggle, the quality of the production is among the best in Scott's long and storied career. While Gladiator's place in the director's canon is secured, The Last Duel deserves to be remembered alongside it as one of the best epics ever made.