'The Tragedy Of Macbeth' Review: Feast Your Eyes On Joel Coen's Striking Adaptation Of Shakespeare's Darkest Play And The Ferocity Of De ...

Arlington TX

17 January, 2022

11:13 AM

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By Joe Friar, Fort Worth Report January 16, 2022 "When, shall we three meet again?" whispers one of the three witches that set forth the prophecy in The Bard's supernatural "The Tragedy of Macbeth" directed by Joel Coen. "When the hurly-burly's done" answers another hag. All three Lechuza-like soothsayers are played by the incomparable actor of stage and screen Kathryn Hunter. Her Oscar-worthy performance stands out among the exceptional cast that includes Denzel Washington as the man who would be king, Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth, and a superb Corey Hawkins as Macduff. Coen venturing out on his own minus brother Ethan delivers a first-rate adaptation of the fourth and last great tragedy by William Shakespeare. It moves at a lightning-fast pace, streamlined by Coen's screenplay which tweaks The Bard's verse to align with the ages of Washington and McDormand who are both in their sixties. The fruit-bearing years are long gone, the clock is ticking, and so there is a greater urgency to claim the throne. The desperation in Washington's face combined with McDormand's wicked coercion is a one-two punch making for some very tense moments. Shot in black-and-white by cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel, the visuals are strikingly reminiscent of Japanese filmmaker Masaki Kobayashi and Ingmar Bergman's "The Seventh Seal." Coen shot "The Tragedy of Macbeth" on soundstages evocative of Hollywood's Golden Age. At times It resembles a classic you'd find on TCM late at night, and yet there is a surreal quality to the film that places "Tragedy" in a gray area, a distinctive look somewhere between a film and play with characteristics of both. For the most part, we are observers watching the Scottish tragedy unfold, yet Coen throws in dynamic POV shots as characters walk into the frame invading our personal space. It's a Shakespeare version of 2014's supernatural thriller "It Follows" which adds to the major horror vibes that permeate the film. It's a dark story to begin with (kids aren't even spared) that combined with Carter Burwell's ominous score and Coen's sinister visuals give "Tragedy" the look of a straight-up horror film. To read the full article, click here. Fort Worth Report is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that produces factual, in-depth journalism about city and county government, schools, healthcare, business, and arts and culture in Tarrant County. Always free to read; subscribe to newsletters, read coverage or support our newsroom at fortworthreport.org.