What can be billed as the best film of the year is a striking retelling of William Shakespeare’s classic play – with an all-star Oscar-winning cast and director.
‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ is already being billed as a classic. Telling the story of a once decent Scottish couple doing anything they can to dominate Scottish politics, and this includes murder if anyone stands in their way, it’s also the story or revenge, deceipt, and of course murder.
Denzel Washington is Macbeth while three-time Oscar winner Frances McDormand is Lady Macbeth. But it’s not the high powered performances in this film that stand out – it’s the story-telling and look of it that will take your breath away. Directed and written by Joel Coen (here without his brother Ethan – who together both helmed Oscar winning films ’No Country for Old Men’ and ‘Fargo’, among others), ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ is beautifully filmed in black and white, giving it an eerie and chilling look. Shadows, fog, mist, darkness, death, a barren set, questionable characters, and blood, convey the drama and intensity in this film, made all the more spectacular by the performance of Katherine Hunter who plays the three witches – she is superb and deserves an Oscar nomination.
There is no other film like this release in the past year that will leave such an impression on you – it’s mesmerizing and unforgettable.
“The Tragedy of Macbeth” is now playing in select theatres and will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on January 14, 2022
Review by Tim Baros