Macbeth

Director: Justin Kurzel 

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Sean Harris, Paddy Considine, David Thewlis, Jack Reynor

Running Time: 1 hour 53 mins

Rating: 15

Release Date: 2nd October, 2015

Macbeth (Michael Fassbender), Thane of Scotland, is visited by three witches that bring with them a prophecy proclaiming that one day he will be king. All hail, Macbeth. Ambition, greed and power consume his mind and body as he and his enchanting wife, Lady Macbeth (Marion Cotillard), murder their King so that the throne may become theirs. 

It’s a story that has found its way into the educational system, the theatre, the film industry and the hearts of many as William Shakespeare‘s words have rung loud from the mouths of some of the world’s greatest performers. There have been many directors to tackle the material, in both traditional and re-imagined form, but this year Australian director Justin Kurzel has taken it with a force unlike anything we’ve seen before.

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The visual artistry that engulfs the screen is nothing short of inspiring. So rarely can an audience experience such a wide variety of diverse skills and effects in one viewing experience; that it at times feels utterly euphoric. There is such a level of genius in Justin Kurzel’s vision that the every aspect of the aesthetic taps into an incredible visceral reaction that resides deep within the belly of one’s emotions, a feeling that bleeds and seeps from the veins as the famously cutting story plays out with exquisite brutality. 

From the beauty in its colour, the complexity of its stunning cinematography and the ferocious way in which the story is told; Kurzel provides a jarring feature that encourages a physical reaction as scenes of bloody battle marry with the sweeping locations, explosions of exposure and all the drama of a traditional play. 

Macbeth 1

Fassbender is an entity in himself as the mad Macbeth, with his performance eclipsing many of his stellar past efforts; a victory that deserves praise alone. Still, his portrayal as Macbeth feels undeniably like perfection, with every moment he’s on screen screaming out passion, pain and promise. The complex Shakespearean language flows from his mouth in the twisted fashion that reflects Macbeth’s own troubled mind, managing to feel natural despite the traditional difficulties that might strike a contemporary mainstream audience. 

Marion Cotlillard is equally as spell-bounding as the deceitful Lady Macbeth, as the passion for power and overwhelming greed coils itself around her precious mind. Make-up and costume are married with her spectacular talent to create a truly complex and beautiful representation of such a grief stricken, wayward soul. In her stunning aesthetic her physical appearance is used to help represent the wildness of her loss of control as her perfectly put together statute crumbles at the realisation of her actions and influence.

Other performances from the likes of Paddy Considine, David Thewlis, Jack Reynor and, in particular, Sean Harris; are all entirely wonderful. There is no performance that doesn’t scream with raw talent and absolute passion for their work and each character. It makes the entire viewing so greatly humbling; it truly feels like something special. 

Lady Macbeth

Making the most of Shakespeare’s traditional words, those of us unfamiliar with the general narrative and Shakespeare’s other work may struggle with the language and it’s easy to see how this might deter a mainstream audience from wholly connecting with the poetry of such traditional dialogue. Still, it works completely within the setting with such spectacular performance, a language that goes far beyond mere words will worm its way into the audience’s mind and heart. 

Kurzel’s MACBETH is an enlightening experience and it’s not with lightness that one praises it with such intensity. The performances are exceptional, the visuals are just astounding and the score is haunting. It’s within Macbeth’s own poisoned words that describe the bizarre feeling of those scrambled emotions that find themselves clawing at the back of ones eyelids in sheer desperation as the screen screams a final red; “O, full of scorpions, is my mind”.

Verdict

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Elly Jones
Film Journalist Follow: @Elllllllllllly Follow: @filmandtvnow

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14 COMMENTS

  3. […] Justin Kurzel’s adaptation of the Shakespeare tragedy Macbeth, the most recent big screen take on a classic, features blockbuster battle scenes and stunning performances. Starring the renowned Michael Fassbender in the title role and Marion Cotillard as his wife, Macbeth sets upon taking the throne for himself when he receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that he will one day be King of Scotland. Read our review of the film here. […]

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