Hail Macbeth! Hail Fassbender!

Rating: 8/10 (8 March 2016)

Macbeth, the timeless play by William Shakespeare, is retold once more in film, this time in the hands of director Justin Kurzel. The "laws" of cinema establish that such classic pieces get new adaptations every five years or so, inevitably subjecting these rehashes to the "make-or-break" category.
The film opens in a battlefield and viewers are immediately sucked into the murky-as-hell world of the eponymous protagonist, Macbeth (Michael Fassbender) — who we first see sporting muddy war-paint on his face. From the heavy use of stylized slow motion, the movie clearly establishes that this is not just a war film. If you haven't had the chance to be acquainted with Macbeth, be warned that, like most of Shakespeare's plays, this is a tale of serious tragedy and not for general audiences seeking the medieval entertainment exemplified in Gladiator or 300. It is much more sublime; an emotionally exhausting, slow-paced war drama more akin to a painting in a way that it demands a fair amount of attention for one to appreciate its true worth.
Following the pitched battle, Macbeth and his confidante Banquo (Sean Harris) encounter a trio of witches and a little girl speaking of a prophecy about the future King of Scotland. From hereon, the plot revolves on Macbeth's attempt to fulfill that prophecy and its aftermath, as his political ambition consumes him like an incorruptible poison obliterating his sanity.
The strength of Macbeth lies in its sense-appealing cinematography and the performance of its lead actor (Hail Macbeth! Hail Fassbender!). His impeccable and primeval performance of a tyrannical maniac descending to full-blown lunacy and desperation surpasses that of his ruthless slave master in 12 Years a Slave and the metal-bending antihero Magneto in X-Men. Paired with an emotionally-complex Lady Macbeth (Marion Cotillard), we are presented with a twisted and treacherous couple hell-bent on committing themselves to a circle of violence for power.
Read full review here: www.filmpolicereviews.com/reviews/macbeth