Review of The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021) by Dtate28 — 03 Feb 2022

Joel Coen's rendition of Shakespeare's Macbeth is a riveting film that creates goosebumps while watching. Kathryn Hunter's fantastic acting as the three wicked witches sends shivers down the spine as she contorts her body in terrifying ways, speaks with a rasp, and morphs into things like a bird. Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand work together to portray the murderous couple of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth seeking the throne of Cawdor. However, in this film, it seems as if Lady Macbeth isn't as angry and crazy as portrayed in Shakespeare's text, which is slightly disappointing. The couple appears to be occupying the space together but have an empty connection.

The striking visuals with the angles and haunting black and white is like nothing I've ever seen before. Coen's choice of simplistic black and white lighting with an overexposed background created a simplistic setting rarely seen in modern-day films.

While Coen did a phenomenal job of style and dark sets, the film wasn't all that exciting. Along with the illumination, the intense sound effects created a feeling of being an audience member watching the story unravel. These traits set Coen's adaptation apart from many other Macbeth films. This film was very aesthetically pleasing but didn't do a great job of portraying the emotion, pity, and terror of Macbeth that I would want to see. Ultimately, Joel Coen did a beautiful job creating pretty scenes and backgrounds while keeping most of the language the same. However, I wish there was more emotion and excitement in the film that kept me eager while watching. I give this Macbeth adaptation an A-.