The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)

The Tragedy of Macbeth (aka Macbeth) review by Mark McPherson - Cinema Paradiso

Director Joel Coen approaches the classic William Shakespeare to play with both respect and adherence to the text. That’s the best and, perhaps, the worst thing that can be said about his take on Macbeth. Let’s get this out of the way: If you never dug Macbeth or could never get into the Old English script, this film is not for you. It is not going to Baz Luhrmann up this old tale to be more palatable for a modern audience. That being said, if you’re willing to accept the film on this level, it’s a real treat of a picture.

The story remains very much the same. Lord Macbeth (Denzel Washington) seeks the throne and is given ominous warnings from witches (all three played by Kathryn Hunter). We watch his rise and fall after the death of King Duncan (Brendan Gleeson) and the increasingly crazed nature of Lady Macbeth (Frances McDormand). Lies and betrayals spin as the characters find a country with an uncertain future amid uncertain powers.

Coen takes a minimal approach to the material. He shoots his film in the claustrophobic 4:3 aspect ratio with black and white. The environments are simplistic slabs of concrete and dead woods, cloaked in bold shadows and concealing fog. This lack of distractions actually works to the benefit of the picture. It keeps the picture cold and dark, where the actors always feel present in the foreground with their performances being the main focus. There’s little time spent lingering on the world, despite some fascinating shots of cliffs and skies that paint the picture with existential dread.

And the performances are amazing! Washington absolutely dominates in the lead role, bringing fear and anger towards his authoritative role. McDormand has always been a great character of contemplative complexity and she really outdoes herself in this picture. Brendan Gleeson always has a prestige to him that increases with age, making him a perfect player for a Shakespeare production. Harry Melling does a solid job as the bitter brat of Malcolm. And then you’ve got a host of other strong and powerful performances from the likes of Corey Hawkins as Macduff, Bertie Carvel as Banquo, and Moses Ingram as Lady Macduff. There’s not a weak link in the bunch.

If there is one performance that is the most compelling, it would be Kathryn Hunter. She plays all three witches who are presented with a distorted vision. Sometimes she’s one of the witches. Sometimes she embodies all three. Sometimes she is all three. And sometimes she’s just a mass of crows. Her many scenes are fascinating and perhaps the boldest choice in the interpretations of the text. She gives the film the right amount of dread and even invokes a bit of Bergman in her surreal portrayal.

The Tragedy of Macbeth is one of the most solid adaptations placed on the screen. True, it’s not as stylish or epic as the grander interpretation we got in 2015 but that’s what perhaps makes this film so compelling. It doesn’t dress up Shakespeare with an abundance of revisions or lavish modern moviemaking techniques. It feels very much like a simplified version of the play and makes the best use of the talents assembled.