Joel Coen gives us a supernatural Macbeth like no other with Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand’s dominating performances of the legendary couple from Shakespeare’s classic tragedy.
★★★★★
William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is one of the most famous plays ever written, it has been adapted almost continuously since its premier in 1606. In his first outing without brother Ethan, Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth gives us an adaptation of the Scottish Play like nothing we’ve seen on screen before. Starring Oscar-winners Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand as Lord and Lady Macbeth as well as a huge ensemble cast, Coen’s Macbeth leans fully into the supernatural and gothic noir. With this much talent in front of and behind the camera, you’d expect the result to be stellar. The Tragedy of Macbeth does not disappoint.
Coen’s adaptation of the Scottish play is stripped down and distilled— no mean feat considering Macbeth is already Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy. This is about as accessible as Shakespeare can be while preserving the Shakespearean dialogue. Coen’s screenplay keeps the essentials and cuts out a lot of the plot, making the film easy to follow for audiences not familiar with Macbeth. But Coen doesn’t change enough to ruin it for audiences with a lot of familiarity with the play.
Adapting Shakespeare for the screen in the 21st century is hard. It takes someone who is a magnificent screenwriter to even try, and someone with deep knowledge and high appreciation for Shakespeare to succeed. Coen doesn’t falter here. A few changes may annoy Shakespeare purists or pedants; the line “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes”, for example. In the play, this is a pun. It refers to the wicked events that will transpire, but also to Macbeth, who is literally coming towards the witches. In Coen’s version, the line is literalised.
This is of the most streamlined, smooth, and tight adaptations of Macbeth ever put to screen. Nevertheless, Shakespearean dialogue is hard. But every line is loaded with brilliance and packed with meaning. Don’t sit down for this expecting a Coen Brothers crime fuelled dark comedy. If you’re unwilling or unable to connect with the text, perhaps this isn’t for you. The Tragedy of Macbeth is, to a fault, Macbeth, and it is for lovers of Shakespeare and a lot of what is said will fall on deaf ears, and even more so the artistry hidden in the words will be lost.
Coen’s other job is directing, and he makes some bold choices that pay off. Coen filmed Macbeth entirely on sound stages, and the effect of this is impactful, otherworldly even. Coen barely moves the camera. His static direction combined with Stefan Dechant’s stripped production design makes this feel like a recording of a play rather than a cinematic outing. But rest assured, Bruno Delbonnel’s gorgeously breath-taking digital monochromatic cinematography ensures this is still a very cinematic version of Macbeth.
Tight close-ups followed by gargantuan landscapes and vast empty spaces occupied by nothing but a figure and their shadow make this one of the prettiest films you’ll see this year.
This film looks untethered from reality but so personal and intimate. Tight close-ups followed by gargantuan landscapes and vast empty spaces occupied by nothing but a figure and their shadow make this one of the prettiest films you’ll see this year. Shot in 1.33:1 aspect ratio giving almost a square on the screen emphasises the beauty of Delbonnel’s cinematography, which looks silver rather than black and white. Long-time Coen collaborator Carter Burwell gives us a thumping score that is ever-present and completely intertwined with the story. The Tragedy Of Macbeth fully embraces the magical and occult elements of the Scottish play like few would dare.
The real stars of this, though, are Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand who both give outrageously dominating performances. Washington captures the man that is Macbeth, torn between his loyalty and his ambition. McDormand commands the screen as Macbeth’s callous and (arguably more) ambitious wife. The two have fantastic chemistry, and you feel the love between them and the trust they share.
Any version of Macbeth is nothing without the perfect casting of these two leading roles. Washington and McDormand are two of the best since Ian McKellen and Judi Dench tackled the duo in 1979.
These two actors also have a great familiarity with Shakespeare, both having done adaptations before, and it shows. They chew up the language with ease and dance through the soliloquies with the rhythm Shakespeare wrote. It is a delightful thing to witness. Washington is mesmerising in the lead, and he conveys the torment Macbeth goes through. McDormand is, of course, a great Lady Macbeth, and she finds her ruthlessness and even her vulnerability. Washington’s older, and therefore more experienced Macbeth is less of a brute than many interpretations. He speaks softly but still manages to convey every ounce of power Macbeth has with great menace. The two deliver Shakespeare’s complicated poetry with skilled intricacy.
All the supporting performances are fantastic too. Hawkins’ Macduff is exceptional, Carvel’s Banquo is gripping, and especially Kathryn Hunter, who plays all three of the witches. Hunter contorts herself into the roles and delivers one of the most inspired, unique, and creepy interpretations of the witches. But any version of Macbeth is nothing without the perfect casting of these two leading roles. Washington and McDormand are effortlessly masterful and are two of the best since Ian McKellen and Judi Dench tackled the duo in 1979.
The Verdict
Stark, bleak, and compelling, Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth is a feast for the eyes. With enthralling performances, this will entertain and horrify. For Shakespeare experts and novices alike. One of the best adaptations of Shakespeare’s work in recent memory.
Words by Lewis Royle
The Tragedy of Macbeth is released in cinemas on 25 December 2021 and on AppleTV on 14 January 2022.
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