Shakespeare movie adaptations are hard. Due to the contrast between the heightened nature of the classical dialogue and the more grounded language of film it’s incredibly difficult to get them right. There are truly faithful film versions of the plays, like those made by Kenneth Branagh and Laurence Olivier, but they can feel stuffy and overly long. Then there are the more radical adaptations, like the Baz Luhrmann Romeo + Juliet or Ethan Hawke’s Hamlet, which make so many changes in the name of style that you wind up sacrificing some of the inherent beauty of the original text.
At the end of the day, adapting Shakespeare for the big screen can seem like an uphill battle that might not be worth it. Lucky for us, Joel Cohen, of all people, has finally cracked the code to filming the Bard’s work, as his latest film The Tragedy of Macbeth manages to blend style and story for a mood piece that is not only one of the year’s best films, but one of the best Shakespeare movies.
Cohen’s Macbeth, his first solo directing effort without the collaboration of his brother, lives in the imagery of a Gothic Horror nightmare, where a thick cloud of smoke hangs over the dark, abstract scenery at all times. Shot in gorgeous black and white, the film keeps the story of Shakespeare’s classic play surprisingly intact, with most of the major cuts serving to abbreviate longer scenes, while retaining all the iconic lines and story beats you expect to see in any production of the infamous “Scottish Play”.
The film follows the eponymous Scottish warrior Macbeth (Denzel Washington), on his simultaneous rise to power and descent into madness. After a mysterious figure (or figures, with the Three Witches all stunningly played by Kathryn Hunter) informs him that he will one day be King of Scotland, Macbeth and his equally ambitious wife (Frances McDormand) devise a ruthless plan to ensure his prophesied ascent comes true, and fast. Of course, this mad rush at power turns many friends into enemies, best demonstrated by Corey Hawkins’s brilliant performance as the grief-stricken Macduff. Soon, the power couple’s sanity begins to slip as they weigh whether the crowns on their heads were worth the blood on their hands.
This movie is an astonishing achievement. Not only does Cohen masterfully handle the drama and emotion of the text, but he also expertly conducts an outstanding ensemble of actors. Denzel Washington has done Shakespearian work throughout his career, but it is nonetheless shocking and awe-inspiring to see his utter command of the language in action. He plays Macbeth with the same passion and fury he brought to Fences, not letting the classical language slow him down one bit. In fact, coming from Washington, the dialogue in this piece sounds downright conversational. It seems entirely natural for these words to come from his mouth in this situation.
Frances McDormand is equally incredible in the film, bringing much more humanity than I’ve ever seen incorporated into a performance of Lady Macbeth. Leaning away from the usual callous and manipulative villain portrayal, she’s a woman who wants what’s best for her husband and will stop at nothing to achieve that goal. What’s especially stunning about the performances of these two lead actors is the way it contrasts with their other work. You would think actors known for their grounded, deeply human characters wouldn’t be a natural fit for such heightened language, but to both of their credit, they put in the work here to make it land.
The good news doesn’t stop there. The supporting cast is just as exceptional as its all-star leads. Kathryn Hunter in particular shines with her one-woman rendition of the Witches who haunt the piece. Her Gollum-esque three-sided conversation with herself at the beginning of the film ignites a spark that never lets up. It’d be a real shame if this movie is mostly remembered as the one where Denzel did Shakespeare, because it honestly deserves to clean up come awards season. I would go so far as to say this should be among the rare films nominated in all four acting categories. The talent is everywhere in this movie.
If you can get yourself over the potential hurdles of a black and white Shakespeare adaptation, I strongly recommend checking out The Tragedy of Macbeth when it debuts on Apple TV+ next month. Cohen really steered further into the dark surrealist world of Fritz Lang than he did the expected puffy shirt style typically associated with Shakespeare and boy does it pay off. This film is a nightmare in the best way.
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