"Macbeth" (2015)

Director:  Justin Kurzel

The art direction is amazing.  Things have been done in previous productions with light and dark (set, costumes, lights, etc.).  This does the same but adds fire.  Light.  Dark.  and Fire.  It also looks to have worked to weave a thoroughly Scotland feel through the whole thing (definitely in scenery; twinge of Scottish accent, but still keeping it understandable for those of us who are outsiders--made it feel more Shakespearean that way too--at least for me).  Intriguing things are done with stopping and starting (fast and slow) action and with music (open chord drones on violins/strings), especially at the beginning and end.

The weird sisters also had repeated appearances in this version as with previous ones, but putting it together with the fire theme against the uses of the cross and light through crosses brought more "just whom do you serve?" belief questions into the story without necessarily addressing the question directly.  (Note [with the weird sisters nearby] Macduff's "let the angel whom thou still hast serv'd" near the end)

The text is moved around and different lines juxtaposed in a way that works.  The Birnum wood coming to Dunsinane is via fire burning a forest and the smoke and fire heading up to Dunsinane castle, providing both a screen of fire and smoke for the military force there and another way to work the theme of fire in.  This fire screen besides providing an ongoing thematic element and dramatic set piece also provides a way for the audience to watch the violent showdown between Macduff and Macbeth with a little less gore while still getting the action of a "good" fight.

Other than an occasional yell--okay rare yell--I think the entire movie was whispered.  It was thus with relief that I found some scenes cut--some of the "talking someone else into something" scenes such as the lengthy discourse when Macbeth hires the murders and when Macduff searches out Malcolm.  I found this a relief this time because while Goold's 3-hour version flew by, this version seemed to crawl through its two hours.  I suppose if you looked at all the whispering as sitting around a fire (note theme) and telling a tale full of sound and fury, then perhaps you wouldn't worry about how fast you told the story while you waited for the fire to burn itself out.  I couldn't tell you why it dragged, but it did.  A well-done tightly woven text of a two hour movie drags on more than an include every line and go for three hour movie.  Go figure the mysteries of movie making.

The ghost in this banquet hall scene was shown in this version--well done with subtle appearance instead of in-your-face.  There is no double, double toil and trouble speech.  No Siward and son scene.  No Lady Macduff lamenting about hubby leaving, though you see her and her kids captured and burned at the stake (note again the fire theme).

This Macbeth seemed to be played as a soldier from beginning to end, not having gone crazy but perhaps not knowing how to stop being a soldier.  Through Lady Macbeth, a story thread was woven of her having had kids--one for sure, maybe two?--and then lost them, perhaps not able to have more, and then having to watch Lady Macduff's kids burn at the stake; the thread of the loss of children as a significant theme/story thread.

Recapping:  I liked the art direction--light, dark, fire, violin drones.  I liked the text changes.  It's nice to have a different interpretation of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to compare to and with.  But it sure did drag.