“A Scottish lord becomes convinced by a trio of witches that he will become the next King of Scotland, and his ambitious wife supports him in his plans of seizing power.”

Director: Joel Coen
Writer: Joel Coen, William Shakespeare
Staring: Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Alex Hassell
Release Date: January 14, 2022

I do not know the William Shakespeare story of Macbeth well, but I do know that I love Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, and Joel Coen. The Tragedy Of Macbeth is the latest in a line of Shakespeare cinematic inspirations. In 2015, Michael Fassbender stared in Macbeth, which garnered mostly positive reviews but little award recognition. It seems uncommon that the same major Shakespearean remake gets made within five years of each other, but there is plenty of to be excited about with The Tragedy Of Macbeth.

Just from the first 20 seconds of the trailer, it is obvious that this movie is going to be a visual experience. The decision to make it black & white adds accent to the lights and shadows. That puts more responsibility on the people behind the camera. The Tragedy Of Macbeth is directed by Joel Coen; mostly known as part of the Coen Brothers duo, this is his first venture without his brother Ethan. I think four Oscars on his mantel makes him less worried about branching out on his own. Cinematography belongs to Bruno Delbonnel, who has been nominated for five Academy Awards, his latest being Darkest Hour (2017). There is plenty of experience on the technical side.

In front of the camera, well there is plenty of star power there. Denzel Washington is playing Macbeth, so we will be sure to get some deep brooding with sullen face. His partner in life and in aspiration Lady Macbeth is being portrayed by Frances McDormand, who is nearly a shoe-in for an Academy Award nomination.

Besides showcasing the beautiful simplicity of the art and set decoration, this last trailer for The Tragedy Of Macbeth has direct references to way this movie sounds. This may be a subtle, but not to subtle, way to tell viewers where this movie excels at. It is also beacon signal for the Academy Award nominee deciders.

The Tragedy Of Macbeth is limited in some theaters, but releases to the masses on Apple TV+ on January 14.


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