Review // Macbeth

You never really know what a director is going to do when they adapt Shakespeare for the screen. Will they remain faithful to the bard’s original story, with a production designed to match the classic settings and characters, or will they change it up and put a contemporary spin on things like Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet or Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing. Australian director Justin Kurzel strikes a fine balance between the two with his adaptation of Macbeth, keeping the language, tone, and setting of the play intact but shooting it in a bleak and visceral style not unlike a modern day war drama. What results is one of the most exciting adaptations we’ve seen in years.

Plot-wise, Kurzel’s adaptation hits all of the familiar story beats you remember from your high-school English class. In the aftermath of a bloody battle, Macbeth (Michael Fassbender) and his good friend Banquo (Paddy Considine) encounter a group of witches who tell them three prophecies: that Macbeth will be named Thane of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland, and that Banquo will father a long line of kings to come. They think nothing of the prediction until a messenger comes with word that the current Thane of Cawdor has been executed for treason, and that his title has been given to Macbeth. This news eventually makes its way to Lady Macbeth (Marion Cotillard) who, after praying to evil spirits, plays on her husband’s ambitions and convinces him to murder King Duncan (David Thewlis). Fearful for their safety, Duncan’s sons flee from Scotland, leaving Macbeth to assume the throne and fulfill the prophesy. But it’s not easy being king when you’re dealing with witches and dark forces. Macbeth goes mad and has Banquo killed to prevent his future heirs from stealing the throne. However Banquo’s son Fleance escapes, and when Macbeth’s subjects start to realize how unfit he is to rule, a rebellion led by Macduff (Sean Harris) marches on Dunsinane Castle and puts him to the sword.

From the early battle scene that introduces us to Macbeth, we’re immediately given a sense of Kurzel’s particular visual style. A heavy helping of slow motion captures the raw savagery of medieval warfare, with crowds of soldiers clashing on a misty Scottish battlefield. At times some of the slow motion shots felt a little unnecessary, but for the most part Kurzel uses the technique wisely to capture the raw emotion of the moment. It also makes for some pretty gruesome images. Blood flies off of swords and drips out of mortal wounds; this film is definitely not for the squeamish.

Once you make it past those first battles however, you are treated to some of the finest acting performances of the year. Fassbender is electric as Macbeth, slowly ramping up his paranoia over the course of the film’s two hour runtime. And lurking in the shadows in Cotillard’s Lady Macbeth, pulling the strings on the whole operation until she realizes the error of her ways. Her performance reminded me of her role in Inception. Both characters are master manipulators, twisting the minds of others to get what they desire, and the French actress has a knack for bringing these types of characters to life.

Add in the stark cinematography from Adam Arkapaw (who also worked on the first season of True Detective) and a haunting score by Justin’s brother Jed Kurzel, and Macbeth really is a sum of its parts; every aspect of the film is perfectly executed. Whether or not the film will get any recognition in what’s looking like another crowded awards season remains to be seen, but this Shakespeare adaptation can surely be counted as one of the best.

Reviewed by Kyle Miller.