Dark and Powerful

Rating: 8/10 (12 August 2019)

Macbeth (2015) is a film that expands upon the brilliance of the original Shakespeare in ways that were impossible during the Bard's time. The performances by Fassbender and Cotillard add subtexts upon subtexts to the two primary characters. What is vaguely assumed in between the lines and paragraphs of the written play is made palpable by a look, a grimace, or a tear. The characters of Macbeth are complex above all else-- a complexity wholly explored by the two leads.
The greatest praise I can give this movie is that it expands upon the source material by using the medium of film to its fullest and most beautiful extent. The cinematography should be respected and awed at in the same way Blade Runner 2049 is. The fiery glow of the wood burning across Scotland is fantastical, almost transportive for the viewer. It is truly breathtaking. The visual direction by Justin Kurzel is complementary to the turmoil of both the Scottish political landscape and the inner-eyes of the characters. Take, for example, the shot of Macbeth surrounded by the iron clad vehemence of the first battle. This shot perfectly demonstrates the brutality of the world and the unbending determination of Macbeth. This moment may be laboriously shown in a stage play, or meticulously depicted in the written form-- but the film is able to communicate this in a shot lasting only a few seconds. There are changes from the source material (the floating dagger most notably) that many found to be "wrong". I would argue that this change actually deepens Macbeth's character. Because the dagger is carried by a young boy that was killed in the first battle, we see another dimension of Macbeth. We see that he feels guilt for his shortcomings, his failures to those he was unable to protect. This aspect of the film heightens the ultimate irony of his character.
Many reviewers found issue with this film for its dialogue. I, on the other hand, found no difficulty understanding every scene as long as the subtitles were on. I don't think it is fair to fault a film for being authentic in its accents and its prose. Yes, the dialogue is hard to understand for my American ears; but the subtitles did the trick quite well.
If it were up to me, this film would have won the Oscar for cinematography and had been nominated for Direction, Editing, Male Lead, and Female Lead. I hope many in the coming years grow to appreciate this film for its performances, its direction, and its visual mastery.