The Tragedy of Macbeth review – Denzel Washington’s descent into madness
On his first solo outing, Joel Coen captures Shakespeare’s Scottish play carefully. As stylistic as the Coen’s are, Joel is ready to relinquish some of his own vision to fit the Bard’s, successfully achieving a riveting adaptation that cannot be topped. In 2015, I was studying Macbeth. Although I do remember writing my essays somewhat begrudgingly, I still reminisce about that time: studying Shakespeare may not be as glamourous as teenagers want him to be, but there is a reason why everyone can relate to forcibly memorising quotes half an hour before the exam. I didn’t want to read through a script, I wanted to be engaged, immersed, and coincidently Justin Kurzel’s Macbeth had just been released. Kurzel created a historical epic that enthralled me yet I still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing, and I couldn’t put my finger on it; maybe the Scottish play is simply too theatrical to ever be truly cinematic. According to Joel Coen, it isn’t. Directing without the aid of his brother, Ethan, The Tragedy of Macbeth is more than a store-bought adaptation but a stylistic remediation. Combining the austere direction that has brought the Coens fame and accolades with...