Timeless Story of Political Intrigue

Rating: 9/10 (1 January 2012)

Filmed partly in Serbia, "Coriolanus" has the dingy, fog-shrouded feel of the mists of time. Coriolanus is a roman military hero, played by Ralph Fiennes, and portrayed as a violent, blood-thirsty animal in battle scenes. Off the battlefield, he is a rage-filled misanthrope.
Blood-smeared and courageous, he charges forward against all odds when in combat, taking his injuries in stride. Each of his scars (all 27) represents a dead enemy, Menenius (played excellently by Brian Cox) whispers to Coriolanus's young son.
Coriolanus has anger management issues, to say the least. Incapable of containing his contempt for the people, he wins no friends off the battlefield when some Senators wish to elevate the soldier to political office.
With seething contempt for false speech and his inability to curb a brutal tongue, he is doomed as enters the arena of politics. His political enemies set a trap for him at a televised political event. When a live audience chants for Coriolanus to be banished, Menenius tries to reason with the mob. He asks the mob to remember that the general devoted his life to protecting Rome from invasion by her enemies.
The rejection so embitters Coriolanus that he leaves Rome and joins the enemy forces. These were the forces he fought in the beginning of the story. The rebels are led by Tullus Afidious, played by Gerard Butler. Butler is perfectly cast as the rebel leader. Coriolanus and Tullus had so much hatred for each other that their men had laid down their arms to watch the two generals engage in what would have been a knife fight to the death, except that an explosion interrupted the brawl.
The driving relationship in this killer's life is a devout worship of his mother, played by Vanessa Redgrave. She controls his opinions and fires his ambitions. This bloody general, so feared by his enemies, is a mama's boy. Her wrath brings him to tears and to his knees.
As with so much of Shakespeare, the language is timeless, and these speeches resonate with relevance. One can apply these conversations to public events in the current era.
Excellent acting, directing, and camera work.