The Tragedy of Macbeth

Drawing inspiration from the films of F. W. Murnau and Carl Theodore Dryer, Joel Coen’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s cursed tragedy preserves the theatrical origin of the play, is attentive to the power of its language, and is, at the same time, profoundly cinematic. Leading a brilliant cast, Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand bring a sense of romantic history and shared purpose to their roles as the eponymous lord and lady, who after years of marriage are tempted by supernatural forces to violently seize promised power. Bruno Delbonnel’s cinematography and Stefan Dechant’s exquisite production design render the fog-shrouded, haunted place where fate and ambition collide.