Rating: 8.7
The Tragedy of Macbeth is essentially a masterclass in filmmaking. It tells the classic story of Shakespeare’s Macbeth in what I consider to be a film that feels modernly Shakespearean in nature. It has the classic elements of the play and yet exploits the medium of film as much as it can, using lighting, set design, editing and sound to truly enhance the story. Macbeth was written to be adapted into this film; its truly that good! Directed by one half of the Coen brothers, it’s very different from the style the Coen’s usually go for, and embraces a darker, more intense tone. It does feel like most A24 films do, it could be considered experimental in some areas but I just love how they told the story here. The script is great, it uses many classic lines and monologues right out of Shakespeare’s play, but also adds in other dialogue too (also old English) and plays with the order of scenes. Its a very raw, stripped down version that honestly works so well. The performances are incredible, Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand both show why they are Oscar winning actors and I couldn’t have loved them as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth any more, respectively. I thought they handled the monologues and the old English excellently, I was so blown away by how effortless they made these top notch performances feel. This is true acting. Not only that but the technical elements were also excellent. The cinematography felt like it was right out of a modern Fritz Lang film; I loved the use of lighting and shadows, especially to create silhouettes and other striking images. The black and white actually worked very well, it made everything feel so disorienting and impactful. I loved the smoke/mist effects and how they helped to transition scenes and reveal scale. The way it was framed, lit and shot all had such an impact and really made the film feel untethered from reality. I felt like I was in a trance while watching because of this, as well as with the fantastic sound design and music. Its just so eerie and reminiscent of much earlier cinema; even felt like it clearly connected itself to the stage performances too based on how they used the sets and lights. The sets were quite unique, they felt classic and traditional, yet surreal and modern because of the use of sharp geometrics. It just all came together so well to create such a strong product. I thought it was a fantastic retelling of the classic story, and every element was masterfully handled. Even the few sword fights were stunningly intense and so well choreographed! It’s truly a visceral and excellent piece of film.
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IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
Metacritic Score: 89
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Apple TV+ / A24
Written for the Screen & Directed by Joel Coen
Based on the play by William Shakespeare
Cast: Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Bertie Carvel, Alex Hassell, Corey Hawkins, Harry Melling, Brendan Gleeson
Runtime: 1hr 45min
Rating: PG
Drama, History, Thriller
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A Scottish lord becomes convinced by a trio of witches that he will become the next King of Scotland, and his ambitious wife supports him in his plans of seizing power.
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