- Sensibility: With text as dense as Shakespeare, it is easy to have the viewer get lost in the loftiness of the language. It's rare that a film can portray the spirit of the language so effectively, even without changing the words themselves.
- Cinematography: This film is a perfect example of why great works of literature should be made into film. The visuals are striking. The locations and framing are unbelievably beautiful and add so much to the energy of this huge, important, timeless story. Production design, costuming, hair, and makeup are flawless, giving the characters depth and definition before they even speak a word. The use of color is striking and sets the tone for many scenes.
- Energy: It's easy to have renditions of Shakespeare lose modern audiences with dense, ancient dialogue. This film is able to reflect the intents of this dialogue even if the literal meanings of the words escape the mind. Spiritual, raw, harrowing portrayal of one of the greatest tragedies ever written.
- Narrative: A beautiful interpretation of a master-work of literature. The film has such reverence for the text, saying almost nothing in dialogue outside of the direct writings. What is added fit perfectly with the spirituality and intents of the text. The film gives so much life to the visions, premonitions, ghosts, and horror that the text and theater cannot through their physical limitations.
- T-Points: The film received five bonus points: one for the beautiful locations and use of the land as a storytelling device, one for the communication of Macbeth's descent into madness and his scene with Lady Macbeth regarding the scorpions in his mind, one for the horrifying final monologue from Lady Macbeth in the church, one for the visually striking and incredibly choreographed final fight sequence between Macbeth and Macduff, and one for the thought-provoking add-on ending portraying Fleance and Malcolm in a cyclic nature with the violence of Macbeth and Donaldbain.
A masterful interpretation of a masterpiece. Having just read the play in it's entirety, I was able to appreciate the film's understanding of scenes to the fullest.
Number of Watches: 2
