The Tragedy Of Macbeth is a Shakespearian drama adapted from the Bard's Macbeth. After battling and capturing the traitorous Thane of Cawdor Macbeth(Denzel Washington) encounters three witches(Kathryn Hunter) who relay a prophecy of his eventual kingship, Macbeth writes to Lady Macbeth(Frances McDormand) of this encounter thus putting into motion their plot to usurp the throne of King Duncan(Brendan Gleeson).
Washington and McDormand are two of our most acclaimed living American actors and its wonderfully refreshing to see them in a Shakespeare adaptation. Their talent shows up, as usual, and they both clearly relish the opportunity to do something so different and stylized, when they click with the material, which is often, it is totally unique, completely engaging. But there is an ebb and flow to both of their performances, moments and scenes when they nail it and moments when the language kind of gets away from them, but that is not a critique that is a virtually fundamental fact of performing Shakespeare. The exception though is Hunter who gives one of the most startling, captivating, fully realized performances of the year as the three witches. Her vocal dexterity, her absolute facility with the language, her physical presence, her total confidence make every second of her screen time near perfect. The other real spark in the cast is Stephen Root in a glorified cameo.
Shot in black-and-white on stylized soundstage sets there is a clear, and effective, influence from German expressionism that pairs well in creating a play adaptation that feels somewhat like a play, that exists in an un-specific past, yet is visually immersive. A subtle barely present score rounds out the production elements to create an eerie mood and otherworldly tone.
A production with flair, a great cast, and assured direction from Joel Coen's first solo effort make for a great and occasionally transcendent Macbeth.
Currently in theaters coming soon to Apple+.
See It.
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