In what might well be the definitive film version of Shakespeare’s tragedy, director Justin Kurzel presents a raw, viseral adaptation of Macbeth starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard in the iconic roles of the ambitious couple who will stop at nothing to usurp and retain the Scottish throne.
The film begins with Macbeth and Lady Macbeth burying their young child, a somber moment that sets the tone for what’s to come. A full immersion into the brutal realities of eleventh-century Scotland, Kurzel’s Macbeth is violent, savage, and puts carnage and the chaos of medieval warfare on full display. Macbeth, under the influence of his wife, ruthlessly sets out on a path to seize the crown and fulfill the witches’ prophecy. Fassbender and Cotillard give masterful performances; Macbeth is a confident warrior who slowly descends into madness while Lady Macbeth’s cold thirst for power belies her grief and humanity. Kurzel complements the original text with cinematic risks that pay off. Cinematographer Adam Arkapaw’s color palette is evocative and bold while Jed Kurzel’s score is powerful and underlines the constant sense of unease. Macbeth is transcendent; a worthy adaptation but an epic film in its own right.
DIRECTOR: Justin Kurzel CAST: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Paddy Considine, Sean Harris, Jack Reynor, Elizabeth Debicki, David Thewlis LANGUAGE: English COUNTRY: UK YEAR: 2015 LENGTH: 113 min
