FilmBuff1994 Macbeth is a good movie with a reasonably well developed plot and a top notch cast. The highlight is without a doubt Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard in their respective roles, the braveness and naivety conveyed by Fassbender from beginning to end is outstanding and we can see that he put a lot of work and thought in to this character. As for Cotillard, the rage and ambitiousness brought out from her is unique, spellbinding and an absolute spectacle to endure. However, I did find the plot failed to engage me and truly pull me in, it felt as if they were taking so much time trying to stay faithful to Shakespeare that they forget to make this story feel relevant and gratifying for an audience who might not be familiar with this material. It should have been made for a more universal audience. As well as that, a lot of the enotion felt forced, not by the actors, but from the direction, score, cinematography and so on. It felt like they were trying too hard to enforce this on us, rather than merely letting us merely get engrossed in to the drama from the performances, I understand that it is based on a play, but I thought it all could have been done with a little more subtlety. Not breathtaking, but very enjoyable. Great performances throughout, Macbeth is flawed, but I would recommend any fan of Shakespeare or these performers check it out, it is certainly worth your time.A man will stop at nothing to become king, while his wife enforces evil upon him. Best Performance: Marion Cotillard

miromoman When undertaking a project like this, one needs to be extremely careful for, if it fails, it can do so pretty hard. Now, if you plan to make it misty, slow and theatrical, if the entire weight of the play is going to to lay on the work of the actors, please, do us a favour and go to the theatre to find them. Fassbender, is just not your man. I mean, he, sword in hand, can look quite impressive on the battlefield, but, foreground monologues... Not his thing. Really. On a positive note, often during the film he seems to forget and switches off the fake Scottish brogue.

lucindasboyd OKAY, WOW! Not to be super mean, but the first review of this movie really is deceptive! I loved this movie and am a huge fan of Macbeth so I would not say that lightly! Please take the time to watch and form your own opinions on the film!I loved the way the cast (Macbeth/ Lady MacBeth) spoke! Although it was in old Shakespearian it flowed beautifully! Lady Macbeth's (adapted) "monologue" chilled me to the bone, in the best way. I already knew what was going to happen and it still surprised me! Just watch and decide for yourself before you listen to puffed up movie critics!

paul2001sw-1 When staging Shakespeare for the cinema, directors have two obvious choices: one, to go with a straightforward theatrical production, and the other, to use the play as the starting material for a screenplay conceived for the purpose. In this version of 'Macbeth', Justin Kurzel clearly takes the second approach. He certainly gets the atmospherics right, and Michael Fassbinder is exactly the sort of actor you would think would be able to make the title role his own. What is lost, however, is the poetry, speeches are mumbled rather than disclaimed, and you might hardly recognise that this was a play written in verse. To me, the result is simply rather dull, and quite possible, hard to follow if you didn't already know the story (though for some reason, the minor detail relating to the prophesy about Macbeth's killer - that he would not be of "woman born" - seems to be repeated dozens of times). It's true, writing plays in verse is an outdated convention - but the reason we still watch Shakespeare is because he was so damn good at it, and what's left once that is abandoned is not nearly as interesting. I'd recommend the version with Patrick Stewart from a few years back, no less intense, but much more Shakespearian.