directed by Joel Coen
Many have tried to adapt “Macbeth” in numerous ways, yet even now they are still trying to make something new out of it. When I first heard of this production, I rolled my eyes thinking “not again”. But then I learned it’s going to be directed by Joel Coen (surprise #1), Lady Macbeth’s supposed to be played by Frances McDormand (a bit of surprise #2) and Macbeth’s supposed to be played by Denzel Washington (surprise #3). I know a lot of people were discussing whether it’s a good idea to have a black-skinned actor playing Macbeth. Personally, it wouldn’t be my choice if I was making an adaptation, but hey, let’s give the idea a try. I guess I don’t have to explain you the story of Macbeth, so I’ll just skip right into my brain drama, which I’m having after watching this film. First, marvellous form. The scenography is very simple and I loved it because we don’t focus on anything but the actors and what they have to say. We often get very intimate shots, seeing only the face, which was giving me chills sometimes. Oh and it’s one of the modern films that are black and white and I accept that. I’m generally against depriving films of colours to make them look more “artsy”, yet here it was a cherry on top. Magnifique! So as an experience, this is a must-see production. Very unusual, very emotional, yet incredibly calm, which makes you question your feelings at some point. It could have been a masterpiece. Could have, but it’s not. Why? Here’s my personal answer: the cast. I’m a huge fan of Frances McDormand, but she’s not Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is evil, cunning, manipulative. And Frances was doing everything to make her character looks so, but it’s just not working. It’s not because she’s lacking talent – we all know she’s a wonderful actress. But not everyone can play everything, and Frances is not the right actress to play Lady Macbeth, in my opinion. Personally, I even preferred Marion Cotillard who played this role in “Macbeth” from 2015. And the second unfortunate choice was… yes, Denzel Washington. I adore this man, but I didn’t see Macbeth in him. And maybe I’ll surprise you, because it’s not about his skin colour. It’s about his age. I’ve always imagined Macbeth as a foolish young man, who’s horribly delusional and intimidating. For me, Denzel’s Macbeth is a bit vague. I didn’t feel anything watching him. Nothing. Nada. Perhaps that was Coen’s idea, then let it be. But in my humble opinion, if we’d exchanged those two actors, we would have had the best film adaptation of this play. Yet, not to finish my post with negative vibes, I’d like to appreciate two people. First, Kathryn Hunter who played Witch(es). What this lovely lady was doing with her body is pure art. She made me feel like I was in the theatre, where such strong gestures are very welcome. By the way, I was thrilled with the idea to make three witches kind of one (sorry for a small spoiler, hope you won’t get mad) – it showed me this/these character(s) from a different perspective. And the second person I couldn’t stop staring at was Alex Hassell as Ross. But here, I have no idea what to write you. He had this incredible energy and I felt like even his slightest moves were very well considered. Mr. Hassell, you’ve earned yourself a fan. To sum up, yes, go see the new adaptation of “Macbeth” because it’s visually spectacular, yet be prepared it may not seem entirely right at all points.
My rating: 7/10
S.
I have nothing to watch 