Movie Review: 'The Tragedy of Macbeth' A Transcendent Shakespearean Experience

The Tragedy of Macbeth suffers from our expectations. This newest take on the Shakespearean legend stars two of our finest and most respected actors, Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand, as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth respectively. The film is directed by one half of the most respected directing duo in film history, Joel Coen, working for the first time without his brother, Ethan Coen. To say that the expectations for The Tragedy of Macbeth were high would be a significant understatement.

Macbeth is a story of the corrupting influences of power and greed. Macbeth (Washington) is a man who gains power through his merciless abilities at war. As we join the story, Macbeth and his best friend, Banquo (Bertie Carvel), are recently returned from war with their reputation for merciless violence preceding them. The heroism of Macbeth and Banquo is announced well before they’ve actually returned from the battlefield and they are credited with killing an enemy leader that may or may not yet be dead.

On their slow march back to civilization, Macbeth and Banquo are met by 3 identical Witches (Kathryn Hunter), decrepit and foreboding figures who predict Macbeth’s future. The Witches predict Macbeth’s rise to power and his inevitable decline and death, much to the amusement of Macbeth and the unease of Banquo. The Witches' predictions begin to come true immediately as Macbeth is met with a promotion but also with the word that the son of the King, King Duncan (Brendon Gleeson), Prince Malcolm (Harry Melling), will be the next King, much to Macbeth’s disgust.

With the Witches' words still ringing in his ears, Macbeth returns to his castle where he is to expect a visit from King Duncan in the near future to celebrate his promotion. At home, Macbeth conspires with his devoted wife, Lady Macbeth, to welcome the King and kill him, all while framing the King’s guards and throwing suspicion on Prince Malcolm. It’s a conspiracy that is almost immediately suspicious to Banquo, much to his distress, and to Macduff (Corey Hawkins), a loyalist of King Duncan and Prince Malcolm.

All of the best of Shakespeare’s beloved play is immaculately rendered in The Tragedy of Macbeth, his legendary themes and his iconic verses are given lovely highlights here. Shakespeare could not ask for a better vehicle for his incredible words than this extraordinary cast of pros, and especially, the lead performances from Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand. Often times Denzel Washington can be an actor who does The Most Acting rather than The Best Acting but here, Denzel’s lusty performance style is well applied while McDormand, not known for her big, broad performances, bites into the big moments of Lady Macbeth, matching Washington for lusty fervor.

Director Joel Coen’s contribution to the Shakespeare legend is a remarkable dedication to a style that underscores Shakespeare’s themes. The Tragedy of Macbeth was shot in a crisp and lush black and white by Oscar winning cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel. Delbonnel claims to have been influenced by Fritz Lang for the style of The Tragedy of Macbeth and the echoes of Lang’s gorgeous and foreboding black and white silent films are palpable. The sparse sets and heavy fog, the rotting, leafless trees, and the presence of crows, in both sight and sound, all contribute to an edgy and bleak atmosphere that matches the growing madness of Macbeth, a man whose torment slowly moves from inner turmoil to an outward expanding turmoil that takes over the final act.

The biggest obstacle for The Tragedy of Macbeth is our expectations. We expect The Tragedy of Macbeth to be brilliant. Anything less than transcendent could be seen as a failure. Thankfully, transcendent is a fair description of The Tragedy of Macbeth. Denzel Washington more than lives up to our expectations while Frances McDormand rises to the occasion of Lady Macbeth, a role that is unlike any she’s come to be known for, even as she’s always been one of our most respected actors. As for director Joel Coen, even without his brother, Joel shows a remarkable talent for staging, storytelling, and attention to detail. Coen honors Shakespeare with The Tragedy of Macbeth while also cutting his own artistic path with the aid of The Bard and his legendary words and themes.

The Tragedy of Macbeth will be released in theaters on Christmas Day, December 25th, 2021 and will be available on Apple TV in January.