Macbeth
Director: Justin Kurzel
Stars: Michael Fassbender, Elizabeth Debicki, Marion Cotillard
Duration: 113 mins
Class: 15
KRS Releasing Ltd

In the 400-odd years since it was written, Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth has seen countless adaptations and interpretations on stage and on the screens big and small. The big screen has played host to acclaimed versions of the story from directors such as Orson Welles, Roman Polanski and Japanese great Akira Kurosawa.

The attraction is not difficult to appreciate – Macbeth is a timeless story of ambition and greed and the inevitable downfall of those who pursue them; and the complex character journey taken by the title character and his ambitious wife are roles pursued by many acting greats.

This latest cinematic version stars two of cinema’s current leading lights Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard in a powerful, earthy and blood-soaked version directed with raw energy by relative newcomer Justin Kurzel, whose assured direction belies the fact he previously had only one feature to his name.

The story needs little introduction – Macbeth, Thane of Glamis (Fassbender) is honoured by King Duncan’s forces after killing the traitor Macdonwald bringing a violent civil war to an end. Macbeth encounters three mysterious women who prophesy that he will go on to become Thane of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland. Egged on by his conniving wife, Macbeth takes matters into his own hands to ensure the prophecy comes to fruition.

The film’s screenwriters Jacob Koskoff, Michael Lesslie and Todd Louiso have changed the order of some scenes around yet the narrative flows exceptionally well. Those very familiar with the text will notice some key moments missing. However, the film is no less powerful for it. It matters little, for example, that Lady MacDuff (Elizabeth Debicki)’s dialogue is cut, for the depiction of her and her children’s ultimate fate is too harrowing and needs few words.

Kurzel lends some stylised flourishes to many scenes but he never lets his visual flair get in the way of the story

Moreover, the filmmakers have taken some very bold decisions. The film opens on a scene where the Macbeths are burying their child; which at first one suspects is a ruse make the couple more sympathetic. Yet as this scene segues into one of battle with Macbeth fighting to the death as a way of assuaging his grief; this devastating loss only serves to harden Lady Macbeth’s resolve further as she sits alone at home her grief turning her into the stone-cold person she becomes.

And Cotillard is mesmerizing, her delivery of the lines in a clipped English accent impeccable – a contrast to the broad Scots brogue spoken by the rest of the cast, underlying her apartness. This is a woman who has done terrible things. As her scheming ambitions turn her once heroic husband into a cold-blooded murdered there is no doubt of the coldness that reigns within and she wears it like a badge of honour, yet by the time her conscience has caught up with her, the tragedy of her life is too wretched to ignore and Cotillard gives full weight to that tragedy.

Fassbender excels too, Shakespeare’s words tripping naturally off his tongue as he takes the character on the journey that will only lead to tragedy. It is a performance as physical as it is passionate; it is all in the eyes of his battle-scarred face from the moment the seeds of intrigue that are sown in his mind by the three mysterious ladies to the portrait of prospective power as painted for him so clearly by Lady Macbeth and to the taste and execution of said power that alienates his former allies and ignites the slow but inexorable descent into darkness. He embodies the grieving father, loving husband, heroic warrior and despotic usurper plagued with paranoia with consummate ease in an exciting performance, giving an indelible rendition of Shakespeare’s most complex anti-heroes.

Director Kurzel and his team adopt a deceptively simple yet totally striking production design in telling their tale. He creates a battlefield that is unforgiving, the fighting ferocious, the blood plentiful and a palette of greys and blacks infuses the screen; perfectly assimilating with the bleak, imposing landscape of the Scottish Highlands.

It is a perfectly grim scenario for his perfectly grim story set against the backdrop of war torn Scotland of the era. Fiery reds and oranges make their appearance at key moments for some welcome juxtaposition and, throughout, Kurzel lends some stylised flourishes to many scenes but he never lets his visual flair get in the way of the story.