Review of Coriolanus

Coriolanus (2014)
8/10
-
26 February 2021
The simple use of an ever present marked red square, hedging the bloody battle arena between the protagonist and his enemy, that eventually becomes the symbol of their partnership. The stage for the glorification of his deeds. The separation between him and "the common people". The confinement of his treason accusation. The marking of his downfall. Even in darkness, it is always emphasised in lighting, to remind how much the protagonist becomes more and more isolated in his own arrogant ambition and anger.

And if the stage lighting is already a seemingly effortless masterwork in scene ambience and transitioning, trading actors and transforming a never changing set without the audience ever noticing it, the camera work helps to enhance every little change during the play.

Either framing each new scene with a dolly wide shot, either carefully framing the dialogue while focusing someone else, on which the words may weigh greater in the moment. Simple acts that could be lost on some of the live audience are cautiously regarded and captured by the directors, setting up the difficult job of filming the play separately from its staging as a complementary and deeper look at the strong performances, specially and undoubtedly that of Hiddleston's protagonist.
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