Review: ‘Macbeth’ on DVD

“The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more.”

For those of you unfamiliar with Shakespeare, you’re probably thinking … “What the Hell is that all about?” Its all about the tragedy Macbeth (2006), a modern adaptation of the masterpiece, directed and co-written by the Australian Geoffrey Wright (Romper Stomper). Sam Worthington, slated to appear in the forth-coming Avatar and Terminator 4 films, plays the twisted and tormented Macbeth in this version of the play, which takes place in modern times and is set amidst the gang-lands of Melbourne, Australia.

I’ll be frank … this play has been around for over 400 years, so … if you don’t already know the basic plot, you’ll just have to read the play. Instead, I want to focus on the merits and mishaps of this specific version. Geoffrey Wright certainly receives his kudos for taking on such a formidable challenge. Baz Luhrmann’s version of Romeo and Juliet (1996) took on a Shakespearean tale of lesser difficulty and resulted in something similar to a circus show, also modernizing the play by throwing the elder dialect into modern circumstances.

I find Wright’s interpretation of Macbeth far more interesting, relying more on the thematic elements combined with some interesting cinematography and audio landscapes to convey this tale of evil. The film is shot entirely in a hand-held cinema verite’ style and utilizes a lot of low-tech visual effects like fog machines and strong colored light filters, giving the film an almost cult soap opera appeal. Think … Dark Shadows. In addition, and very much complementary to the visual techniques, is the choice of the musical score. The soundtrack for Macbeth is purely instrumental and extremely atmospheric, ranging from slow, subtle piano to edgy techno to hypnotic trance … all working wonderfully with the scenes to which they are coupled.

Things really get trippy during the well-known “… something wicked this way comes” scene whereas Macbeth joins up with the three witches. This is certainly not a family-friendly kids version of Macbeth, but the play has always been a dark tale, filled with murder and violence and all other sorts of decadence. Wright brings all of this gritty substance to his adaptation without apology and creates a worthy compliment to the bard’s tale. Its not the very best Shakespeare you’ll ever see, but it is a fascinating movie to watch … even if you haven’t a clue to what the characters are talking about.

[rating:3/5]

DVD Features:

• Macbeth featurette
• Macbeth trailer
• Beowulf & Grendel trailer
• The Other Conquest trailer