Macbeth – movie review

Enthusiasm for Shakespearean adaptations shows no sign of waning, as Australian filmmaker Justin Kurzel (Snowtown) assembles an A-list cast for a stunningly visual and viscerally gripping version of the classic Macbeth. At its most basic, Macbeth is the tale of a struggle for power in Dark Ages Scotland; and Kurzel has wisely decided to strip the plot back to those (semi-historical) roots. There are no flouncy costumes, or updating of the story to set it in modern times – this is a film for the purists (more the historical purists than the Shakespearean purists, mind you); a Macbeth as it could have happened way back when.

Kurzel is also careful to show his filmmaking chops, paring back the dialogue considerably and instead relying on imagery to carry the plot along. That makes this a relatively accessible film for those worried about the heaviness of the Shakespearean tongue; although it should also be noted that it’s brutally violent and more than a little bloody. He also adds a prologue and an epilogue to his film (neither of which appear in the play) to flesh out some of its themes.

At the beginning of the film, Macbeth (Michael Fassbender) is a kind of feudal chieftain (a thane, for those familiar with the text) fighting in the army of the Scottish king, Duncan (David Thewlis). After victory in a critical battle, Duncan makes Macbeth the Thane of Cawdor, thus fulfilling the first part of a prophesy given to Macbeth by three witches. His wife, Lady Macbeth (Marion Cotillard) seizes on this success as proof the prophesy (which also predicts that Macbeth will be king) is true. She urges him take matters into his own hands and kill Duncan when he visits their village to celebrate the victory. Macbeth’s brother-in-arms Banquo (Paddy Considine) however is less convinced, even though the prophesy also states he will the father of future kings. But with the words of both the witches and his wife ringing in his ears, Macbeth stabs Duncan in his sleep – framing two guards and Duncan’s son Malcolm (Jack Reynor) for the crime. As the third in line, Macbeth is crowned king; but he soon finds that blood begets blood, and the cycle of violence spirals out of control.

A troika of screenwriters – Jacob Koskoff, Michael Lesslie and Todd Louiso – have crafted a fascinating take on the source material. While staying true to the essence of Shakepeare’s story, they’ve managed to craft new and inventive ways of dealing with the text’s many challenges. Just check out how they deal with the “Out damn spot” scene; and how they manage to bring Birnam Wood to Dunsinane Castle. Kurzel too makes several crucial additions to the story; including heavy use of fire as a motif. Not only is this appropriate for the story, but the visual contrast between the gray, windswept landscape and the bright savagery of the various fires works brilliantly as a visual device.

The titular character is played here by arguably the hottest actor in the world at the moment, Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave). He’s surely staking his claim as the Olivier of his generation (fun fact – Olivier never got to play Macbeth on film; though his American counterpart Orson Welles did) and his performance here will not dent that claim in the least. It’s a performance of passion and intensity yet modulated by subtle restraint. Unlike (for obvious reasons) a stage production, much of what Fassbender has to do here is done silently, with gesture and expression rather than dialogue. He is however more than matched by Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night), who brings a similar intensity to Lady Macbeth (and kudos too to her voice work, as she produces a flawless Scottish accent – at least to my ear). Two of the showier roles here actually go to subsidiary characters – Paddy Considine (Pride) as the doomed Banquo and Sean Harris (Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation) as MacDuff. Look out also for Australian actor Elizabeth Dibecki (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) in a small but significant role as Lady MacDuff.

Kurzel’s Macbeth is an experience that won’t quickly be forgotten. I felt drained on leaving the cinema; but the quality of the film cannot be denied. This is as intense a film as you’re likely to see this year, but Kurzel’s sure eye, the neatly worked script and the powerful performances make it all worthwhile.

Director: Justin Kurzel
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Paddy Considine, David Thewlis, Sean Harris and Marion Cotillard
Release date: 1 October 2015
Rating: MA 15+

David Edwards