Review of Macbeth (2015) by Andre S — 17 Feb 2017

Despite having the cinematic benefits of sweeping landscapes, gory battle scenes and even a little raunch, Kurzel's Macbeth is a strangely flat, hollow affair. Fassbender and Cotillard should have been an electric pairing; with chemistry sizzling and sinister charisma smouldering.

Yet their Macbeths are rather passionless. Bold directorial decisions should give their tale even more meaning, but scenes limp along with fine words spoken in hushed whispers, which I suppose were intended to convey intensity, but occur so often they just elicit boredom.

Cotillard comes through with a vaguely more interesting character journey, but Fassbender is disappointingly one note throughout. I don't like him from the start, don't understand his motives and frankly don't care much either.

The running time is understandably ruthlessly cut, but major turning points in the story arch are needlessly rushed, robbing them of the emotional heft they deserve. The only exception being the murder of Lady Macduff and her children, portrayed in an exceptionally savage manner.

Whilst possibly a little unkind on Kurzel, old Bill sums events up perfectly: "it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.".