The Tragedy of Macbeth

The Tragedy of Macbeth

Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders his king and takes the throne for himself.

  • Released: 2021-12-25
  • Runtime: 105 minutes
  • Genre: Drama, Thrillers, War
  • Stars: Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Brendan Gleeson, Corey Hawkins, Moses Ingram, Harry Melling, Ralph Ineson, Alex Hassell, Brian Thompson, Sean Patrick Thomas, Miles Anderson, Max Baker, James Udom, Ethan Hutchison, Jacob McCarthy, Matt Helm, Scott Subiono, Lucas Barker, Nancy Daly, Robert Gilbert, Richard Short, Kathryn Hunter, T.K. Weaver, Kayden Alexander Koshelev, Wayne T. Carr, Edward Headington, Tim Oakes, Peter Janov, Madison Randolph, Phil DiGennaro, Bertie Carvel, Stephen Root, Jefferson Mays, Olivia Washington, Susan James Berger, Ledger Fuller
  • Director: Joel Coen
 Comments
  • I_Ailurophile - 6 November 2023
    An outstanding new vision, haunting and otherworldly, of a dark, bloody classic
    It never ceases to amaze how filmmakers can work from the same source material to create cinematic adaptations, with their own visions, that are far-flung and wholly unique from each other. William Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' rightfully counts among the most classic and revered of works of literature, a dark, bloody, and violent spectacle even on paper; any interpretation on stage or film is sure to boast the same sinister vibes, and terrible passion along with them, but can otherwise range across a boundless spectrum of possibilities. From the spartan to the grandiose, from the fiery to the atmospheric, from the thematic to the visceral, and more, each iteration may trade on The Bard's words, and on like-minded notions of costume design and sets, but otherwise the sky is the limit. I dare say that no sooner has Joel Coen's 'The tragedy of Macbeth' begun than it shows itself to have been built with an ethos to definitively stand apart from its kin: for all those familiar strains that greet us, the look and feel here are nevertheless well removed from Orson Welles' version of 1948, or Roman Polanski's of 1971, let alone those of Philip Casson and Trevor Nunn (1979), Rupert Goold (2010), or Justin Kurzel (2015). Even in that alone this is low-key extraordinary and absolutely deserves wide recognition, to say nothing of the many other great qualities that it boasts. And there are, truly, many great qualities here, for in total this might be one of the very best film adaptations of the Scottish play, and maybe of Shakespeare broadly.

    Having accordingly been filmed entirely on soundstages, the visuals could be shaped entirely to the will of Coen and his collaborators, and they truly let their imagination run free here. What the sets lack in the utmost photorealistic detail of other productions, they more than compensate for with gorgeous, stunning geometry that calls to mind the fabulous whimsy of art films, and pure fantasy or science fiction: Tarsem Singh's 'The cell' or 'The fall,' 'Krull,' 'Labyrinth,' 'Roboman Hakaider,' and more. These sets, and that geometry, appear even more striking with exquisite and uncommon use of light and shadow, Bruno Delbonnel's stark, crisp, and vivid black and white cinematography, and Coen's impeccably smart, spellbinding shot composition - making the presentation all the more breathtakingly otherworldly. Indeed, "otherworldly" might be the key word here: the result of all these elements is that by the fundamental construction alone this 2021 feature comes across as a haunting and somewhat surreal dream, a dream that takes up horror and thriller airs in light of the imagery, violence, emotions, and tension that come into play. Emphasizing the point, wherever environmental effects are employed (fog, haze) the proceedings are lent even more awe-inspiring fancifulness; Carter Burwell's somber original score contributes to the substantial eeriness; and Coen's interpretation of Shakespeare's weird sisters is mind-blowing and creative, to say nothing of Kathryn Hunter's incredible performance, so captivating that she threatens to upstage everyone else with bigger roles, even the Lord and Lady themselves.

    It may be Hunter who first snaps us to attention, but let there be no doubt that the rest of the cast is just as solid, each contributing their skills in distinct and admirable ways. Stephen Root's spirited vigor as the porter nearly rivals Ian MacDiarmid in Casson and Nunn's feature; I would never look to Brian Thompson for acting, yet even under heavy makeup he is very recognizable as one of the tyrant's hired murderers, and he unexpectedly gives that minor yet pivotal character unexpected presence and personality, and likewise scene partner Scott Subiono. As if these instances weren't proof enough, all those in even the smaller supporting parts illustrate their worth: Harry Melling has well outgrown his rise in a series of fantasy films that have deservedly fallen out of favor in recent years; Ralph Ineson and Brendan Gleeson have limited time on-screen, but command strong presence all the same; I continue to expect great things of Corey Hawkins; and so on. Of course the biggest question is surely how Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand handle their portrayals of the Lord and Lady Macbeth, but gratifyingly, for them to have been cast thusly was no mistake. We anticipate the chief figures to be depicted with fervor and zeal befitting the sordid, brutal nature of the goings-on, and we are not disappointed in this case. It's noteworthy that we can trace an especial progression in how Washington and McDormand play their parts, for at the outset there's an understated grim conviction and tenacity that comes across with supreme subtlety - making way over time for building ferocity and madness in keeping with the tenor of the narrative. To wit: McDormand's performance of Act V, Scene i is earnestly vexing, and surely stands shoulder to shoulder with Judi Dench in 1979 and Kate Fleetwood in 2010 as among the best seen in movies; Macbeth's arc from perplexed hero to half-deranged, raging despot is given more power by Washington than has been managed by several others who have taken up the mantle over time. As if the stars' capabilities have ever been in doubt, they absolutely confirm them in these 107 minutes, for to the last they deeply impress.

    Every coldly vibrant moment is realized with fabulous, resplendent vitality through Coen's expert orchestration of every shot and scene. Of course his task is made easier with the timeless verses of Bill Shakes laying the foundation, but not every adapted screenplay is able to achieve the exact right level of fidelity, or summon the appropriate energy, to make that foundation count. 'The tragedy of Macbeth' does not have that problem. It seems to me that the filmmaker finds more success than some of his peers and forebears in being able to allow the strength of the words themselves to ring out and hold sway from one moment to the next; as much as the visuals are paramount in this rendition, the gravity of the tale is carried just as much by the dialogue, and Coen shows that he knows it, and he wants us to know it. The direction and acting cement the intensity of the characters, but even on paper Coen's vision of each maintains and fosters the flame that is a precursor for those figures. The scene writing equally takes care to communicate the thrumming essence of the original text, and to put the filmmaker's own stamp on scenes to manifest such an enrapturing, perturbing vision - and the story at large, likewise, retains the ponderous weight of the insidious course of events, unfailingly making this title just as much of a dark, bloody spectacle as Shakespeare first conceived it to be.

    In all honesty, what here is not perfect? The stunts and effects are superb; the costume design, hair, and makeup are fetching. The basic sound design and image quality are crystal clear and unimpeachable; Lucian Johnston and Reginald Jaynes's is shrewd and mindful. Heretofore I've held Goold's 2010 production, with Fleetwood and Sir Patrick Stewart, to be the best cinematic treatment of the Scottish play. To be frank, now that I've finally had the chance to watch this, I think 'The tragedy of Macbeth' matches Goold's work toe to toe, and possibly even surpasses it. I had high expectations when I sat to watch, and still I'm genuinely impressed by just how marvelously sharp and impactful it is - something which I moreover wouldn't have necessarily expected from a filmmaker whose prior works, co-written and co-directed with brother Ethan, were all comedies of one variety or another. In all sincerity I'm somewhat astonished that this hasn't received even more acclaim and accolades, for to sit and watch it amazes again and again throughout its whole length. I assumed I would like it, but in that I suppose I was wrong, because I outright love it. Everyone has their personal preferences, of course, and others may have a slightly different perspective. I'm hard-pressed to imagine anyone daring to speak ill of the picture, though, and as far as I'm concerned it's plainly exceptional. Simply put, if one has the opportunity to watch 'The tragedy of Macbeth,' this is one adaptation that really is a must-see. My highest, heartiest recommendation!
  • bretttaylor-04022 - 21 February 2023
    The Tragedy of Macbeth
    I don't know what it is about Macbeth any version of it iI just find uninteresting, confusing and boring.

    It's almost feels to me like my brain is allergic to it. I so wish i could get what everyone who believes it is the best thing ever written is getting. Why must this be the one thing I fail to get.

    My English Teacher failed to inflict this on me some 30 years ago and I always thought it might have been down to how she taught it.

    So Joel Coen now gets his go. I feel like i don't give out 10's on here very often but Joel and Ethan have got three of me and they are only beat by Kubrick, Scorsese and Spielberg.

    Sorry Joel you failed so i now i know it is not my English teachers fault.

    I thought the Seventh Seal style cinematography was interesting. Everything else i found uninteresting, boring and confusing. I had to watch it with subtitles on and i still have no idea what they were saying.

    It almost felt a bit like like all these stars got together and played Shakespeare. I guess i am forever doomed and will never understand Macbeth.
  • bgre-38486 - 25 July 2022
    Meh
    Okay so I like the original play. I thought the play was really good. But this is literally the first movie I fell asleep during. And the only one. I missed the ending where they beheaded Macbeth. They all talked like they were trying to put you to sleep.

    It has a good plot yes, but maybe next time they should try to be a bit more out there if that makes sense.
  • thomasm-11375 - 14 April 2022
    As a English Major
    We had to watch this for a class and oh my. The class discussion is exactly as you think it would be. I will give it, amazingly filmed, love the BW. But oh my is it terrible. Most the acting was stiff expect the Witches. The sets looked overly fake and i get it was intentional, but wow it just did not look good. I think this was a great shot but bad attempt.

    To much of a snooty english major movie.