In 11th century Scotland, General Macbeth (Fassbender) is told by three witches (Baxter, Kennedy and Fallon) that he'll one day become king. Encouraged by his ambitious wife (Cotillard), Macbeth secretly murders King Duncan (Thewlis) and seizes the throne when the heir Malcolm (Reynor) flees suspiciously. Overwhelmed with paranoia, Macbeth embarks on a murderous rampage, getting rid of anyone he sees as a threat to his power, which includes his friend Banquo (Considine) and the former king's defender Macduff (Harris). Meanwhile, Malcolm has raised an army in England and is coming back to claim his throne.

Kurzel takes a viscerally grounded approach to these events, staging much of the action in the rainswept highlands rather than in gloomy castles, while adding a modern sensibility in vicious battle sequences that often look like something from Lord of the Rings. The effect of this brutality on the characters is palpable, and much of the film's power comes in wordless moments that emphasise the darkly conflicting yearnings that grip these people, as aspiration leads to violence and then, naturally, to guilt and fear.

Indeed, the central theme is how guilt eats away at the soul. Both Fassbender and Cotillard beautifully bring out the inner turmoil of people who know they are responsible for atrocities. The performances are a storm of power and doubt. So even if much of the dialog is impossible to decipher (more due to mumbling and growling than the Shakespearean verse), the gut-punch hits home. Side characters are also vividly well-played, adding texture and emotion.

Kurzel's inventive visuals bring the story and themes to life with brutal artistry. Most intriguing are the timeless themes, as the Macbeths' quest for power becomes a combination of battle weariness, post-traumatic stress and the pain of childlessness (the film opens with them burying an infant). Not to mention the witches' promise of fame and fortune, as if they're something Macbeth is entitled to. So they murder children because they can't have any of their own, then are flattened by the horrible irony.

themes, violence, sexuality

6.Aug.15