Macbeth

It was hard not to have unrealistically high expectations for this rushed, anemic adaptation of Shakespeare’s shortest and bloodiest play. But the combination of slick looking, TV commercial style visuals and the hand-held, tight facial close-ups favored by unimaginative directors makes for a disappointingly bland and unsatisfying cinematic experience. The great Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, who normally make any film shine (even when it's a dud), cannot ennoble this uninspired telling of the dark tale. Director Justin Kurzel shoots the film on location in Scotland, but doesn’t capture the cold, damp, atmosphere the way Roman Polanski did so well in his 1971 film of this play. While that picture had its faults, it was never dull—which is more than I can say for this version. Macbeth requires a director with a subtle touch and a knack for shooting intimate conversations rather than an ability to stage impressive battle scenes (not that the battle scenes in this picture are anything to write home about). Considering the cast, this Macbeth is a real missed opportunity.