Macbeth (C+) Movie Review
Macbeth stars Michael Fassbender in the titular role as he kills the King of Scotland, Duncan, to take his throne as the new King. His violent actions are spurred by his wife, Lady Macbeth (Marion Cotillard), but soon lead Macbeth into madness.
It's important for me to note that this is my introduction to the story of Macbeth. I was never made to read Macbeth in high school. However, I am familiar with the Shakespearean language, as I did read Romeo & Juliet. But Macbeth is something that slipped my syllabus. And this film is nearly impossible to penetrate if you do not have a familiarity with the plot points of the story. I got the gist of things by having the synopsis at my side. I guess what I'm saying is to take my opinion with a grain of salt.
And even if you are familiar with the basic happenings of Macbeth, this still may be a difficult endeavor because of the heavy Scottish accents, Shakespearean language, and poor pronunciation by the ensemble. If you have an opportunity to see the film with subtitles, take that opportunity. This can drain some enjoyment out of the film when you're always trying to keep up with understanding what's being said. The only actor that didn't have a problem with this is Cotillard, who may be the best thing about the film, as she speaks with a less harsh French accent rather than a strong Scottish one.
Cotillard and Fassbender are the things that keep you engaged and entertained. Fassbender, who may the best actor working today, brilliantly and fluidly captures Macbeth's descent into madness. I still think my favorite Fassbender performance of 2015 is his perfect turn in Steve Jobs but in Macbeth, he's never less than great. Marion Cotillard, who may be the best actress working today, turns in a performance with a stunning amount of emotional depth. Last year, Cotillard blew me away in The Immigrant and Two Days, One Night and she does it again here. She has one particularly memorable monologue late into the film that is truly beautiful.
The film's other big strength is its confident visual design. The cinematography here is immaculate. It feels similar to this year's The Assassin in the way that each shot is compositionally rich and could be a photograph or work of art all on its own. The cinematography works hand in hand with Jed Kurzel (brother of director Justin Kurzel)'s score of swelling bagpipes that feel very appropriate considering the film is set and shot in Scotland. In terms of colors and overall aesthetic, there's a coldness that pervades the film only to be occasionally broken by ravishing bouts of intense oranges. The final battle stands out as being one of the more stylish sequences of the film.
But there is a disappointing lack of enjoyment to be had in Macbeth. Not that it's a cheery tale but too much of the film passes by in which you're either confused or wondering what's just been said. The film is usually entertaining, thanks to the two outstanding lead performances, but it's often not very compelling. The central themes of Macbeth (intense ambition, the power of corruption, and the dangers of war) spark up enough so as to not consider the film a failure on that part, though.
And even if you are vaguely familiar with the plot points in Macbeth, refresh yourself. No part of this film waits for the audience to catch up with it; the momentum stays steady throughout. If you've got Amazon Prime (the film is available there for free before its DVD release date), by all means give this a watch. Fassbender and Cotillard are at the top of their game and the film is quite beautiful to look at. I doubt this will be the best film adaptation of Macbeth you'll see in your lifetime but it's alright.
FINAL GRADE: C+
MPAA RATING: R for strong violence and brief sexuality
It's important for me to note that this is my introduction to the story of Macbeth. I was never made to read Macbeth in high school. However, I am familiar with the Shakespearean language, as I did read Romeo & Juliet. But Macbeth is something that slipped my syllabus. And this film is nearly impossible to penetrate if you do not have a familiarity with the plot points of the story. I got the gist of things by having the synopsis at my side. I guess what I'm saying is to take my opinion with a grain of salt.
And even if you are familiar with the basic happenings of Macbeth, this still may be a difficult endeavor because of the heavy Scottish accents, Shakespearean language, and poor pronunciation by the ensemble. If you have an opportunity to see the film with subtitles, take that opportunity. This can drain some enjoyment out of the film when you're always trying to keep up with understanding what's being said. The only actor that didn't have a problem with this is Cotillard, who may be the best thing about the film, as she speaks with a less harsh French accent rather than a strong Scottish one.
Cotillard and Fassbender are the things that keep you engaged and entertained. Fassbender, who may the best actor working today, brilliantly and fluidly captures Macbeth's descent into madness. I still think my favorite Fassbender performance of 2015 is his perfect turn in Steve Jobs but in Macbeth, he's never less than great. Marion Cotillard, who may be the best actress working today, turns in a performance with a stunning amount of emotional depth. Last year, Cotillard blew me away in The Immigrant and Two Days, One Night and she does it again here. She has one particularly memorable monologue late into the film that is truly beautiful.
The film's other big strength is its confident visual design. The cinematography here is immaculate. It feels similar to this year's The Assassin in the way that each shot is compositionally rich and could be a photograph or work of art all on its own. The cinematography works hand in hand with Jed Kurzel (brother of director Justin Kurzel)'s score of swelling bagpipes that feel very appropriate considering the film is set and shot in Scotland. In terms of colors and overall aesthetic, there's a coldness that pervades the film only to be occasionally broken by ravishing bouts of intense oranges. The final battle stands out as being one of the more stylish sequences of the film.
But there is a disappointing lack of enjoyment to be had in Macbeth. Not that it's a cheery tale but too much of the film passes by in which you're either confused or wondering what's just been said. The film is usually entertaining, thanks to the two outstanding lead performances, but it's often not very compelling. The central themes of Macbeth (intense ambition, the power of corruption, and the dangers of war) spark up enough so as to not consider the film a failure on that part, though.
And even if you are vaguely familiar with the plot points in Macbeth, refresh yourself. No part of this film waits for the audience to catch up with it; the momentum stays steady throughout. If you've got Amazon Prime (the film is available there for free before its DVD release date), by all means give this a watch. Fassbender and Cotillard are at the top of their game and the film is quite beautiful to look at. I doubt this will be the best film adaptation of Macbeth you'll see in your lifetime but it's alright.
FINAL GRADE: C+
MPAA RATING: R for strong violence and brief sexuality