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'MACBETH': A bloody, muddy masterpiece?

It has been done traditionally with Orson Welles taking the lead, as a gangland tale set in Melbourne, what could be described as a horror about paranoia by Roman Polanski, a bona fide classic in Kurosawa's Throne Of Blood, and even, as framed by the BBC, a drama about a professional kitchen starring a youthful James MacEvoy. Now, Australian born Justin Kurzel defines Macbeth for a new film-going generation. His adaption stays generally true to the original verse, with any and all revisions proving fresh and exciting, never defiling the piece. Indeed, the man himself has said he never wanted the verse to take centre-stage (ironic, given how we think of Shakespeare), but rather he wanted to find the humanity in this story of war, allowing the themes and visuals to take the lead, the verse becoming conversational, with little mind given to the fact that it is Shakespeare.

To say he has been successful would be quite the understatement. Here we have a Macbeth that is immediately recognisable as Shakespeare's vision, as bold and intense as is required for a good telling, whilst presented with a renewed energy, an urgency and excitement which might surprise those who feel yet another take on the play could only come across tired. The story feels nearly as old as storytelling itself; that of a Thane of Scotland receiving a prophecy that he will be King, who is then consumed by ambtion and greed, is spurred on by his wife to kill the King and take the throne himself. It is the themes and seemingly endless subtleties and nuances which are dealt with differentlly with each version; never is the focus the same, and there is no exception here; you will not have seen this version before. This is of course the beauty of Shakespeare, and is evidence again, if it were needed, of why it is so important his writing remain studied and familar; so much of what is at the heart of his work remains relevant, because it so often deals with the fundamentals of humanity.

Kurzel's Macbeth opens mournfully, introducing a hollowness in the lives of Macbeth and his Lady right from the start, through the heartbreaking and relatable loss of a child. Macbeth is a war hero, battle-hardenered and scarred, not only physically but emotionally, and we appear to explore the contemporary issue of PTSD with a scrutiny even Shakespeare himself could never have foreseen. Amidst all the drama, we watch Michael Fassbender deliver a broken man whose gears gradually slip; a performance so wonderful, you are convinced you see the exact moment he is tipped over the edge. We are dared to sympathise with Lady Macbeth as she fades out, broken by guilt; a bold move that has not been accepted by all audiences, but is nevertheless well executed. It should be added that this does not diminish the character's power of manipulation, or her ability to use sex as a weapon, as evident in one key scene. It may go without saying, but both performances are astonishing; additional weight is provided by Paddy Considine and David Thewlis, but you walk away remembering and talking about the leads.

The clarity of Kurzel's storytelling is truly admirable, and whilst he does take perhaps a little too long to get into the flow, holding himself up at the front end, he does get there, and once there, the film never suffers a mis-step. His use of flash-forward is inspired, and his choice to take us close to characters' faces at key moments proves perfect every time. The film is well-scored, and whilst it might seem, at times, a little samey, the net result by the end is one of total emotional engagement, and there is a staggering beauty in his mise-en-scene, especially in the final act, which proves genuinely powerful. You will have noticed the use of red in a lot of promotional material? Whilst the assumption is that this would seem an obvious go-to colour for a story of war and rage, its use in the final shots, wherein we see a comment on the cycle of violence, is undeniably remarkable. In fact, the cinematography is superb throughout; shot by Adam Arkapaw, the film feels as vivid and deliberate as the imagery in the source text.

This is the last time for a long time that you are likely to see Shakespeare's masterpiece on the big screen. That is, unless rumours of a Scorsese-helmed rendition being just around the corner turn up true (just pause for a moment and consider that; the man who made Goodfellas might direct a Macbeth!), but certainly it will be a very long time before you see projected such a beautifully shot, cinematic rendering of a traditional take on the Scottish play. So, for as much choice as there is at the cinema right now, you would be making a smart move to get yourself in on this near-masterpiece.....before it is too late.

Unless you don't like Shakespeare....or don't think you like Shakespeare? But that just makes you wrong.

4.5 / 5

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