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Reviews
Great Performances: Macbeth (2010)
Gloriously horrifying
The "Out, damned spot" bit was killer.
The "Out, out, brief candle" bit was worth the wait.
Stewart's performance overall was stunning. Captain Picard was fun to watch and you could detect Stewart's gravitas in it; Dr. Xavier didn't stretch Stewart in the least and it was just a sweet paycheck for him, which I fully applaud him collecting. But this here is what Stewart was built for. The man is a beautiful monster in this performance.
The whole cast was nearly pitch perfect.
The witches were gloriously horrifying. The "Double, bubble, toil and trouble" bit was innovative and fun.
Watch Lady Macbeth transform from a supremely manipulative banshee from Hell into a guilt-wracked suicidal lunatic.
If you don't understand what's going on all the time, you're not alone, and take heart: this film's visuals help you along much of the way, without treating you like a moron.
As for the script itself -- it's Shakespeare: raw, economical, polyrhythmic, full of slyly naughty jokes to try and catch, and full of linguistic innovation. Few writers have displayed such freedom with the language. If you're a writer, I advise you to take a cue from Shakespeare and just start breaking rules and making up new ones. This version of Macbeth should inspire you to do that.