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Whenever a classic work of fiction is adapted to the screen, there is one question that needs to be answered: Why should this be adapted? If a director/writer (in this case Joel Coen takes both roles) wants to set out to tell this story, what new approach are they going to take to make it resonate with a new audience or transform it into something that is distinctly their own. In the case of The Tragedy of Macbeth, the story is shown through a beautifully shot adaptation with expert actors filling iconic roles.
The first thing that the audience is introduced to with this movie is the cinematography and set design. This movie is very much designed to pay distinct homage to the original stage productions dating back to the 17th Century. Every scene and location feels vast while also keeping the close intimacy of the limited real estate of a stage. The fact that the movie is shot entirely in black and white adds to this and creates an eerie sense of disorientation that comes from the sensory deprivation of not having the full spectrum of color that has become the standard over the decades.
One of the most visually interesting aspects of the movie blurs the line between acting performance and cinematography. It is the portrayal of the three witches by Kathryn Hunter which mixes her physical performance with camera tricks, including a scene where all three witches appear at once where she is standing over a puddle alone and two images of her are reflected in the water on either side. Later, she takes on a more birdlike appearance while standing in the rafters of a large room. When shown as part of a wide shot, she is hooded and shrouded in shadow as she is crouched but on a closeup, she has a more human appearance.
In terms of other acting performances, Denzel Washington excels as Macbeth, as does Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth. If there is any actor active today who continues to be undervalued, it is Corey Hawkins who in this movie as Macduff. He continues to elevate any movie he is a part of from Straight Outta Compton, to Kong: Skull Island, to 24: Legacy, to In The Heights. There is no weak link performance in this movie; everyone does their job to an elite level.
That said, the movie adapts the play almost 1-to-1. Do not expect to go into this movie and see a different story from the classic, it is exactly as one remembers they read in the past. Even the dialogue maintains the Shakespearian gravitas and is not translated to modern English for modern audiences. To that end, there is a slight barrier to entry, where if someone has not had the opportunity to have translated the work, some of the symbolic dialogue may be lost.
The Tragedy of Macbeth is currently playing in theaters, however if one does not want to go to the theater, it will be streaming on Apple TV+ this week on January 14, 2022.
Final Rating: 9/10
