Coriolanus (2010)
Certified: 16
Duration: 122 minutes
Directed by: Ralph Fiennes
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Gerard Butler, Vanessa Redgrave, Brian Cox, Jessica Chastain, John Kani, James Nesbitt, Paul Jesson
KRS release

Ralph Fiennes’s directorial debut is a brave, interesting and strong film that reinvents William Shakespeare’s play written between 1605 and 1608.

...the words lend more gravity and importance to the setting- Johan Galea

Shakespeare’s dialogue is kept intact with the setting being taken to modern-day Belgrade. The production makes very good use of the architecture of the city and the modern day military trappings.

The film is about a power struggle between Coriolanus (Ralph Fiennes) and his main rival Aufidius (Gerard Butler) who is the warlord of the Volscians.

In fact, when these two go head to head against each other, the camera work really comes alive, giving the film a very tangible kinetic energy.

Coriolanus is a succesful military man who becomes a political figure/ leader.

It is on this new battleground that he discovers that politics can be even bloodier and more merciless than the actual battlefield.

His principles block him from pandering as he tries to stay true to himself. This leads him to being expelled from the city.

He joins forces with Aufidius and plots revenge against his fellow kin. That is when his mother, the aged and seasoned Volumnia (Vanessa Redgrave), exerts her influence with her diplomatic skills.

This part of the film is depicted in a particularly strong manner thanks to Ms Redgrave’s towering performance. Gerard Butler also delivers well as he squares it off against Mr Fiennes. His role is an intense one, more than what some previous movies demanded of him, showing that the actor has some unlocked potential.

Jessica Chastain is beautiful to look at but comes across as being somewhat empty, which may have been the intention of the film after all as she is essentially a trophy piece.

Brian Cox as Menenius, Coriolanus’s best friend, brings a light mood to what is a very serious film. James Nesbitt and Paul Jesson are suitably slimy in their performances.

The film’s theatrical feel is evident but still makes for powerful cinema making. Add to this the fact that the tale in itself is very intriguing and the mix of war, blood and political powerplay makes for compulsive viewing.

The influence of such video games as Call of Duty is very evident but make for very involving sequences.

Using a palette of blues and greys, the picture has a luxurious yet sombre sense to its visuals.

It’s also interesting how the mix between the guns, tanks, modern technology and the Old English language style works. The words lend more gravity and more importance to the setting and the tale resonates well today.

If nothing else, Mr Fiennes seems to be highlighting William Shakespeare’s quasi-prophetic tendencies.

Mr Fiennes, who has already played Coriolanus on stage, shows that he has an affinity, not just with his character, but with the play as a whole.

His directorial debut has been a long time coming and promises more good things to come.