Proving along with Man Up and Legend how big a year this has been for the UK branch of StudioCanal, Macbeth is another feather in their cap that sizzled in cinemas in 2015. Technically a British/French/American co-production, Jacob Koskoffs new take on Macbeth was nothing short of sensational. Michael Fassbender is terrifically unhinged as the eponymous Scottish nobleman/king slayer/eventual monarch, while Marion Cotillard brings a creepy veneer to proceedings as his meddling missus. Truly, youd struggle to find two such excellent performances in the same movie anywhere else this year. Visually, as well, Koskoffs Macbeth is highly impressive. The Scottish Highlands have never looked so moody and mystical, allowing Shakespeares supernatural elements to feel totally in keeping with the aesthetic of the piece. The battles look brilliant against this brooding backdrop, too. The difficulty with adapting Shakespeare is that the audience often knows the story already. However, in the case of the 2015 Macbeth, an old story is given new life with truly entrancing results.
