Wish I had seen this in Grade10 when we studied MacBeth. But years later, while I love Shakepeare still, the film just didn't cut it for grown-up me.
Some marvelous scenes, mind you. I particularly enjoyed the witches scenes. And the mood and sets were ace. But both Denzell Washington and Frances MacDormand were hopeless. Denzel has been very dramatic in nearly all of his films so why make him such a drudge here? I put it down to bad direction. MacDormand was worse. All her old expressions and mugging used in all her other films turned up here. Hee soliloquy, "The raven himself..." was a complete bore when it should have shivered our timbers. Didn't make it for me.
And it all seemed to happen in three days, this huge arc of ambition, realization, and downfall. It is tricky to give a film a proper sense of time and Cohen failed here.
But overall, I still enjoyed it. Was beautiful to look at, and, let's face it, Shakespeare can really write a great script.