This visceral, fierce and wildly innovative version of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is not to be missed. Stars Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, as warrior Macbeth and his ambitious lady, were born for the roles. Much of the violence that would normally appear off-screen or muted on stage, including battles, the murder of Duncan and the execution of Macduff’s wife and children, appear up-close, underlining the violent tragedy at the play’s heart.
Shakespearean purists will find fault with Kurzel’s choice to strip the play down to its bones, excising much-loved passages and re-interpreting others in innovative ways. However, I found his choices successful in eliciting the same thrill as when I first encountered Macbeth many years ago. Filmed in the bleak, dramatic Scottish Highlands, every scene, including the most violent, is devastatingly gorgeous. It will give you goosebumps.
Should You See It? Yes!
Viewed at Landmark Plaza Frontenac Cinema