"The Tragedy of Macbeth" - Film Review
Writer/director Joel Coen has brought yet another iteration of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth to the screen. The Tragedy of Macbeth stars Denzel Washington as the titular Macbeth and Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth. For those who may not remember the challenge of reading the play in their high school English class, Coen’s decision to use Shakespearean English can make the plot tough to follow.
After Macbeth and Banquo (Bertie Carvel) lead King Duncan’s (Brendan Gleeson) army to victory over the Thane of Cawdor, they are met by Witches (Kathryn Hunter) who prophesize that Macbeth will become the new Thane of Cawdor. This will bring him one step closer to becoming king, and Macbeth is intrigued, even though he doesn’t fully trust the mysterious Witches. The Witches also tell Banquo that he will be the father to many kings. When Macbeth and Banquo return to King Duncan, Macbeth is appointed the new Thane of Cawdor. This makes Macbeth believe there could be some truth to the Witches’ prophecy.
At the same time he names Macbeth Thane of Cawdor, King Duncan names his son Malcolm (Harry Melling) the new Prince of Cumberland. Macbeth is distraught because this obstructs his path to the throne. Lady Macbeth, however, believes that if King Duncan is murdered, Malcom will flee the country and leave the throne in Macbeth’s grasp. He and Lady Macbeth begin to plot their course of action to kill King Duncan so the Witches’ prophecy will come to pass and Macbeth will be king.
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It is impossible to begin a discussion of this film without singing the praises of Kathryn Hunter as the Witches and the Old Man. The first time the audience sees Hunter, she’s hunched over in the sand, twisted like a baby bird squawking in a nest. Distorting herself in a way to appear to be the type of otherworldly being Macbeth believes the Witches are. It’s an impressive feat to achieve this fantastical aura without the help of computer animation. In a film full of spectacular performances, Hunter still manages to stand out. It is her voice that opens the film with the famous “When shall we three meet again?” line that single-handedly creates the sense of foreboding that permeates the movie to the final scene. Although she is in only a few scenes, Hunter’s portrayal of the Witches is mesmerizing.
The Tragedy of Macbeth has a visual style quite unlike any other modern film. It somehow harkens back to The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) while exuding a 21st-century sleekness. The movie is a marvelous ode to the visual style of early films and the great lengths technology has taken the artform to. Entirely filmed in black and white, many of the shots evoke the feeling of great art. Any one moment could be framed and stand on its own. It’s a technical marvel playing with light, darkness, and shadows, mirroring the characters’ choices of good and evil. Cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel has created a visual language that is immediately immersive.
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There’s a sense of simplicity in The Tragedy of Macbeth as the film begins. In a time of moviemaking when so many offerings are pure visual overloads, the clean lines and basic sets feel refreshing. There are no CGI superheroes or dime-a-dozen needledrops. Just a crew of filmmakers at the top of their craft presented bare for the audience to revel in their skills. McDormand’s “out damn spot” monologue and Washington’s interpretation of Macbeth alone are worth the price of admission.
What begins as the film's strength morphs into a weakness as the movie progresses. The stark contrast of The Tragedy of Macbeth to the current offerings, while initially stunning, fails to work for the theme of the story. The movie ends up feeling too neat to truly encompass the original Shakespeare, a story of a man driven to madness and murder by greed. Everything about Macbeth should be visceral, bloody, and extreme. There are countries at war and thrones on the line. In Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, there’s barely any blood to be seen and the war in the film’s final act doesn’t show the sheer scope of what is at stake or why Macbeth commits these murders. The film’s neat, sleek facade takes away the passion and sadly comes off as calculated, contained, and lacking in grandeur. A technical marvel and acting showcase, The Tragedy of Macbeth still manages to come across as flat and adds nothing new to this famous tale.
3 / 5 Stars
Key Takeaways + a Few Spoilers
Moses Ingram!!!!!! I have been rooting for her since I saw her in a short film from 2018 (Candace), and I’m so glad she’s getting all these roles. If Bradley Cooper can be nominated for his five minutes in Licorice Pizza, Moses should be nominated too.
I have never had such a visceral reaction to a voice like Kathryn Hunter’s, except maybe for Black Philip in The VVitch.
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