Macbeth: A Man Frail and Tormented by Anxiety

'Macbeth,' one of Shakespeare's four great tragedies, is a play that depicts how the Scottish lord Macbeth becomes king and subsequently falls into ruin. While the original play portrays Macbeth as a character who openly harbors ambition and murders the king, the Macbeth in this film is a man who is frail, tormented by anxiety, and lives in fear of the specter of assassination.

In the early part of the story, Macbeth encounters something as he ascends, which ultimately proves to be a manifestation of his own inner turmoil. What could it be—.

Delving into the Darkness of the Psyche Through Tragedy

In recent years, films and literature that explore the realities of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) among returning soldiers, such as 'American Sniper,' have garnered significant attention. The darkness of the human psyche depicted in those works serves as a major theme in this film as well.

Director Kurzel's statement at the Cannes Film Festival, where he described Macbeth as suffering from PTSD, creates a compelling interpretation distinct from the original play. Instead of portraying Macbeth as the ambitious figure depicted by countless directors and playwrights before, this film focuses on his psychological unraveling, thereby touching upon the shadows that plague contemporary society.

The protagonists are Macbeth, who, through relentless conflict and suffering, gains power through force, and his wife, who is consumed by desire and incites her husband, inflicting wounds upon him. The transition of these two characters as they lose their humanity is masterfully translated to the screen through the superb performances of Michael Fassbender as Macbeth and Marion Cotillard as his wife.



Those intimately familiar with the original play or stage productions might find certain aspects unsettling. However, precisely because it is the world's most famous tragedy, set in medieval Scotland, the audience can innocently grasp the pathos of lost humanity amidst war and desire. These psychological scars cast a shadow over our real world. Even those who struggle with realistic contemporary depictions may find profound resonance through this film.

'Macbeth'
Director | Justin Kurzel
Original Work | William Shakespeare
Starring | Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Paddy Considine, Sean Harris, Jack Reynor, David Thewlis
Distribution | Yoshimoto Kogyo
2015 / USA / Original Title: 'Macbeth'
http://macbeth-movie.jp