“Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble.”
Macbeth, William Shakespeare
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a film adaptation of Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Joel Coen. The film is currently available in cinemas and will be released on the streaming platform Apple TV+ from January 14, 2022.
As a fan of Shakespeare’s plays (particularly his histories), I was interested to check out this film, which had been receiving excellent reviews from critics and audiences alike since its release. I went into the film knowing little about Macbeth apart from a brief plot summary that I read online, having not ready the play before. Thus other reviewers who are better versed with the play may offer better reviews, but for what its worth this is my (brief) thoughts on the film.
Firstly, wow. This is a beautiful and gorgeous looking film made by a production crew who clearly love cinema, and the art of filmmaking. The direction from Joel Coen is sublime with some fantastic portrait and facial shots of actors speaking their Shakespearean dialogue. The film is also shot in a traditional 4:3 aspect ratio to give it a more classic feel.
Shot in black and white, the production design and cinematography on this film is also excellent. The production design goes for large sets and backgrounds whilst having minimalistic and empty foregrounds, which makes things very interesting when there are props or objects in place. In other words, many rooms and halls are bare apart from a typical window, chair or table. The cinematography is also incredible with some excellent shots both indoors and outdoors during the day and night, with very effective use of lighting, shadows, fog and sound to create a hugely atmospheric film.
The acting in this film is also excellent. Denzel Washington gives an outstanding and captivating performance as Macbeth that grabs the viewers attention every time he is on screen. An Oscar nomination (and win) is looking likely. Frances McDormand also gives a somewhat disturbing performance, as Lady Macbeth slowly descends into madness and delirium as the events unfold. The rest of the cast is also excellent as the Scottish nobles but a particular highlight is Kathryn Hunter as the three witches – a terrifying, creepy demented performance that will stay with you long after the film has ended.
The main issue for most audiences going into the film will be the dialogue throughout the film, which details the story and plot. As this is a direct adaptation of Shakespeare’s play, his original lines from the text are adapted and used, which can make it difficult for general audiences to understand what is going on. A large portion of the film is also dedicated to dialogue and speech, rather than action or violence. Thus this is an intellectual film and your enjoyment (and understanding) will depend on your enjoyment and familiarity with Shakespeare’s works. For audiences without a background knowledge of the play, a general understanding of the plot and its characters will be beneficial. That being said, it is still possible to understand the plot and events of the film if you pay attention to the dialogue and performances on screen.
Also just as a note and disclaimer – this is a violent film with some pretty violent scenes.
The Tragedy of Macbeth is an excellent film and adaptation of Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, and is highly recommended for the film, theatre, or Shakespeare fan.
Rating: 7/10
Andrew Reviews 