The Tragedy of Macbeth: Film Review
I’m not someone who gravitates towards Shakespeare’s material because it reminds me of school and struggling to understand his dialogue. But I had to check out Joel Coen‘s take on The Tragedy of Macbeth because of all the rave reviews – and guys, it’s just not my cup of tea.
For those uninitiated with Shakespeare’s epic Scottish tragedy, it tells the story of a lord named Macbeth (Denzel Washington) who is told a prophecy by a trio of witches and becomes convinced he will become the next King of Scotland. He tells his wife Lady Macbeth (Frances McDormand) of this and together they concoct a wretched, murderous scheme to make it come true.
Even though I studied Macbeth in school and knew the general gist of the story, I still struggled to understand what was going on in a scene. I just didn’t understand what they were saying most of the time and therefore I couldn’t engage with it. I observed this film from a distance instead of getting into it, and while I could appreciate that it was a well-made feature, I didn’t actively enjoy it. It felt like homework and a film you’d watch during an English Lit class, not something you’d put on for the sheer pleasure of it in your own time.
The visuals also don’t help with the engagement situation. The film was shot entirely on sound stages and the production design is stark, cold and sparse. The black-and-white film is minimalist and stylised and not always exciting to look at. That’s not always the case though – occasionally, cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel captures a stunning shot and plays with light to impressive effect.
Coen, directing his first movie without his brother Ethan, has really stripped the story back to its bare bones both visually and narratively. At only an hour and 45 minutes, a lot of Shakespeare’s text has been discarded and this abridged version, written for the screen by Coen, contains only the essentials.
Washington has been gaining recognition for his work here this awards season and that is well deserved. The Oscar winner has plenty of experience with Shakespeare’s work and you can tell. He makes Shakespearan acting seem effortless when it’s actually very difficult. He is in command of the tricky language and nails his portrayal of the ruler as he becomes increasingly paranoid and mad. In comparison, McDormand didn’t make it seem quite so easy but she is very good when Lady Macbeth is overcome by guilt, although she overdid her performance a couple of times.
The biggest revelation was stage actress Kathryn Hunter, who plays all three of the witches. She brought them to life in a way I had never seen before. The way she contorts her body immediately put me on edge and her rasping voice felt creepy and sinister. She was absolutely perfect for that role.
How you like The Tragedy of Macbeth will really depend on how you feel about watching Shakespeare’s work for leisure. If you enjoy it, then Coen’s film will impress you but if you don’t, then there’s really not much point in giving it a whirl.
On Apple TV+ from Friday 14th January