As ghastly witches prophesy that Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, will soon become the King of Scotland, ambitious Lady Macbeth prompts her husband to act. So, to speed things up, conflicted Macbeth seizes the opportunity, and as blood stains his hands, the throne is his for the taking. However, murder is an unbearable burden, and before long, rabid paranoia blackens the conscience and imperils the sanity of the cursed couple. Now, only death awaits. Can a mere mortal escape fat... (Full plot summary below)
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As ghastly witches prophesy that Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, will soon become the King of Scotland, ambitious Lady Macbeth prompts her husband to act. So, to speed things up, conflicted Macbeth seizes the opportunity, and as blood stains his hands, the throne is his for the taking. However, murder is an unbearable burden, and before long, rabid paranoia blackens the conscience and imperils the sanity of the cursed couple. Now, only death awaits. Can a mere mortal escape fate?
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| Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzGreed, the lust for power and the willingness to do anything to obtain it are all on a lot of people’s minds just now. Washington offers a glimpse into that dangerous combination, one that resonates as strongly as ever. |
| EmpireHelen O'HaraStark but utterly compelling, this chilling take on Macbeth is a visually stunning tour de force. It’s as good as you’d expect from this cast and crew, which is saying something. |
| Time OutDave CalhounIt’s a visual feast that’s served with enormous respect for the essence of Shakespeare’s words, even though Coen has shaved the text so that it moves at a furious pace, with a sudden slap of an ending that feels entirely fitting. It’s a creepy, bone-shaking triumph. |
| The PlaylistRobert DanielsCoen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth is the kind of visionary art that happens when a group of artists, at the top of their game, assemble to work on a legacy that’s near to their hearts because of the challenge, not in spite of it. Denzel and McDormand are fearless, and The Tragedy of Macbeth is an enthralling jolt of verse and just good old-fashioned dread. |
| The GuardianPeter BradshawThe movie hits its stride immediately with a taut, athletic urgency and it contains some superb images – particularly the eerie miracle of Birnam Wood coming to Dunsinane, with Malcolm’s soldiers holding tree-branches over their heads in a restricted forest path and turning themselves into a spectacular river of boughs. This is a black-and-white world of violence and pain that scorches the retina. |
| The TelegraphRobbie CollinOf all Shakespeare’s plays, Macbeth may be the best-served by cinema, with terrific, distinctive adaptations over the years from Welles, Akira Kurosawa, Roman Polanski, and most recently Justin Kurzel, with Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard. Coen’s is something different again – though new would be entirely the wrong word. It resonates with the ancient power of a ritual. |
| SlashfilmHoai-Tran BuiCoen shows an understanding of Shakespeare's original play as well as a willingness to go beyond it. His "Tragedy of Macbeth" leans into the staginess of the story, while tapping into the surreal nightmare of the whole thing. It's nothing short of magnificent. |
| Washington PostAnn HornadayFor such a compact and efficient vessel, “The Tragedy of Macbeth” pours forth seemingly endless wellsprings of language, emotion and psychological depth. |
| Original-CinKaren GordonLed by performances by Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand, the production makes this story of treachery, murder and the psychological cost of crossing moral boundaries feel both era specific, and frighteningly modern. |
| The Associated PressJocelyn NoveckNo matter how cursed or unlucky the so-called “Scottish play” is in theater lore, the stars seem to be aligned here. |
