Book Reviews and More: Macbeth 2015 - Movie Review

Thursday, 12 June 2025

Macbeth 2015 - Movie Review - William Shakespeare

Macbeth

Year: 2015

Director: Justin Kurzel

Writers: Todd Louiso, Jacob Koskoff, Michael Lesslie

Music: Jed Kurzel

Run Time: 113 min.

Production:

StudioCanal

Film4

Distributed by StudioCanal

Macbeth 2015 - Movie Review - William Shakespeare

A few years ago my son discovered a love of theatre, and I rediscovered it from my own youth. Since then we have been to numerous productions at the Stratford Festival in Stratford Ontario. We both try and read the plays before going and often watch other productions before going to see the play live. This was a stunning production that is very intense.

The description of movie states:

“Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders his king and takes the throne for himself.”

And the synopsis states:

“Macbeth is a 2015 epic historical drama film directed by Justin Kurzel and written for the screen by Todd Louiso, Jacob Koskoff, and Michael Lesslie, based on the Shakespeare play.[6] The film stars Michael Fassbender in the title role and Marion Cotillard as Lady Macbeth, with Paddy Considine, Sean Harris, Jack Reynor, Elizabeth Debicki and David Thewlis in supporting roles. The story follows the Scottish lord's rise to power after receiving a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Like the play it was adapted from, the film dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those who seek power for its own sake.”

Key Cast:

Michael Fassbender as Macbeth

Marion Cotillard as Lady Macbeth

Paddy Considine as Banquo

Sean Harris as Macduff

Jack Reynor as Malcolm

Elizabeth Debicki as Lady Macduff

David Thewlis as King Duncan

David Hayman as Lennox

Maurice Roëves as Menteith

Brian Nickels as Thane of Cawdor

Ross Anderson as Rosse

James Harkness as Angus

Seylan Mhairi Baxter, Lynn Kennedy, Kayla Fallon and Amber Rissmann as the Witches

Lochlann Harris as Fleance

Hilton McRae as Macdonwald

Scott Dymond as Seyton

Rebecca Benson as Maidservant

Gerard Miller as Macbeth's messenger

Roy Sampson as Doctor

This is an intense production. I have seen a few productions of this play over the years. This is a grim, stark, almost minimalist presentation of the story. The intense battle scenes filmed almost in black and white and often in slow motion set the stage for the production. The use of the stark terrain, and light and darkness throughout the filmed adds to the intensity and sense and feel of the work.

A few years ago my son (now 16) fell in love with the bard, now my youngest daughter (14) has started to have an appreciation for his works. We have tickets to see the production at the Stratford Festival in 2025 and watched this to prime us for that production.

This film version of the Scottish play is well worth watching. Not for the young, or the faint of heart, but well worth it. I am thankful we gave this one a watch, we had 3 options across our streaming services and this was an excellent place to start.