“Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” A sinister sounding voice whispers this line to open Joel Coen’s latest film, “The Tragedy of Macbeth.” This adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is currently streaming on Apple TV+, and it is absolutely spectacular.
The story of Macbeth is fairly straightforward. If you need a refresher from your high school reading of the play, here is a quick overview. Macbeth (Denzel Washington) receives a prophecy from three witches (Kathryn Hunter) that he is to become the king of Scotland. To achieve this goal, he must murder Duncan (Bendan Gleeson) and run off Duncan’s sons Malcolm (Harry Melling) and Donalbain (Matt Helm). He is aided by his wife, Lady Macbeth (Frances McDormand). After he is crowned king, Macbeth slowly descends into madness. Eventually the nobleman Macduff (Corey Hawkins) convinces Malcolm to lead an army against Macbeth. There is a duel between Macduff and Macbeth and Macduff is the victor, handing the crown back to Malcolm.
Of course, there is much more to a Shakespearian tragedy than what is described above, and one of the best ways to get the full impact of his work is to be able to see it performed. There is something about the language that can be more fully understood and appreciated when it is being spoken by a skilled actor, giving life to words that may be a bit difficult for modern audiences to grasp. This adaptation does an exceptional job at exactly that.
Joel Coen leans into the violence of this story in a way that many adaptations are unable to. The murder of Duncan is vicious and uncomfortable. The prophecies of the weird sisters are unsettling. The escalating madness of both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are perfectly executed.
He also uses the medium beautifully. The sets are very stark and empty, much like they would be in a staged production of the play. We aren’t distracted by elaborate sets and stunning costumes, but instead the black and white film and the plain sets and costumes allow the performances to shine. But Coen also uses the fact that it’s a movie to allow for a truly chilling experience when the weird sisters show up for the “Double, double, toil and trouble,” scene. It is a masterfully crafted film.
The performances are all top-notch as well. Washington and McDormand are pitch-perfect in their roles. The slow decline is portrayed with so much care and each line is delivered effortlessly. The stand-out role for me was Corey Hawkins as Macduff. His demeanor when he is told that his entire family has been slaughtered by Macbeth is heart-rending. You could feel the waves of understanding come over him and his execution is flawless.
We have unfortunately relegated Shakespeare to high school English courses, making his plays feel like work, rather than the examinations of the human condition that they are. I hope this excellent adaptation will introduce this work to a wider audience, for it is both fair and foul in all of the best ways.
ALISE CHAFFINS is a Morgantown writer who loves movies and sharing her opinions. Find more at MacGuffin or Meaning on Substack.
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