Macbeth

Movie Name: Macbeth

Year of Release: 2015

Director: Justin Kurzel

Stars: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Paddy Considine, Sean Harris, Jack Reynor, David Thewlis, David Hayman, Elizabeth Debicki, Lynn Kennedy, Seylan Baxter, Scot Greenan, Kayla Fannon, Ross Anderson, Scott Dymond, 

Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis & Review:

Director Justin Kurzel, who made his feature debut with "The Snowtown Murders", has followed that Australian based feature, with "Macbeth", a visceral adaptation of William Shakespeare's play of the same name. The film follows the story of a Scottish general by the name of Macbeth, who receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that he will become King of Scotland. Prompted by his ambitious wife, Macbeth murders the King, but allows the King's son to escape. After being crowned, Macbeth is consumed by guilt and paranoia, and soon becomes a tyrant, committing more murders to protect himself. This at the cost of everyone who surrounds him, including his wife.
Justin Kurzel's authentic adaptation of "Macbeth" is the latest in a series of features that have been done throughout the years, which also include Orson Welles' 1948 adaptation, Akira Kurosawa's "Throne of Blood" and Roman Polanski's 1971 version. Kurzel's is beautifully shot by Adam Arkapaw, and uses Scotland's locations to a beautiful effect. The scenery becomes a part of the story, which manages to be simultaneously dramatic, but also brutal, violent and carnal. It's a film that is both visually striking, stylized to a certain extent, but who has a beating brutal heart underneath it all, due to the fantastic performances from all the cast, particularly the always excellent Michael Fassbender and the luminous Marion Cotillard. The cinematography from Adam Arkapaw is stunning, capturing the beauty of the landscape but also the core feelings that are part of the story, namely the violence, intrigue and the fantastical elements of it. It's a riveting and unique vision of the play, worth watching.