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You may have slept through his plays in high school and avoided the class in college, but there’s really no escaping Shakespeare. Even if you aren’t sitting down and reading his histories and comedies and tragedies, there’s a very good chance that you’ve read or watched a modern-day adaptation of one of this plays. But there’s nothing modern about Joel Coen’s adaptation of The Tragedy of Macbeth.
The Tragedy of Macbeth tells the story of Macbeth (Denzel Washington), a Scottish lord who’s returning home from a successful military campaign when he meets a trio of witches who make a number of predictions about his future—including that he’ll be crowned king. When one prediction comes true, Macbeth writes to his wife (Frances McDormand) to tell her of the witches and their predictions—and, in her greed and ambition, she hatches a plan that will make her husband king. But as they carry out their plan, it brings about more trouble.
All of this plays out in original Shakespearian language—so if it’s been a while since you’ve sat down to read The Bard’s works, it will most definitely take some time to settle into the language—and plenty of concentration, too. And, even then, you’re almost guaranteed to get lost from time to time. This is a film that you’ll need to work for—and, at times, that can be frustrating—but even though you won’t understand all of the language, you’ll still be able to follow much of this classic story.
To help his audience keep up with the tale, Coen (half of the acclaimed Coen Brothers) keeps things as simple as possible. There’s nothing flashy here. Instead, the footage is in stark black and white, adding depth and drama through the stunning use of light and shadow. And the minimal sets will make you feel like you’re watching it all play out on stage.
The performances, meanwhile, might just make you forget that you’re struggling to understand Elizabethan English. Denzel Washington is captivating as the lord whose choices slowly drive him mad, and Frances McDormand makes the perfect Lady Macbeth: ambitious and calculating and mad in her own way. Even when you don’t understand their lines, you’ll still find their performances compelling.
Unless you’re a Shakespearian scholar or a stage performer, The Tragedy of Macbeth will take a whole lot effort and concentration. This isn’t a brainless Friday night movie. But Coen’s adaptation of this classic tragedy is still worth the effort.
You can watch The Tragedy of Macbeth in theaters starting on December 24, 2021. Or stream it on Apple TV+ starting on January 14, 2022.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
