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Ralph Fiennes, Gerard Butler, Brian Cox, Vanessa Redgrave, Jessica Chastain ... see more see more... , John Kani , James Nesbitt , Paul Jesson , Lubna Azabal , Ashraf Barhom , Zoran Cica , Milos Dabic , Nicolas Isia , Zoran Miljkovic , Marija Mogbolu , Milan Perovic , Nenad Ristic , Lawrence Stevenson , Marko Stojanovic , Tamara Krcunovic , Zu Yu Hua , Olivera Viktorovic-Duraskovic , Danijela Vranjes , Slavko Stimac , Ivan Dordevic , Radovan Vujovic , Jovan Belobrkovic , Dan Tana , Miodrag Milovanov , Dragan Micanovic , Radoslav Milenkovic , Radomir Nikolic , Zoran Pajic , Harry Fenn , Elizabeta Dorevska , Dusan Janicijevic , Jon Snow , Nikki Amuka-Bird , David Yelland , Andrija Maricic , Svetislav Goncic , Uros Zdjelar , Bora Nenic , Slobodan Ninkovic , Mona Hammond , Slobodan Pavelkic , Dragoljub Vojnov , Keiron Jecchinis , Mirko Pantelic

Caius Martius 'Coriolanus' (Ralph Fiennes), a revered and feared Roman General is at odds with the city of Rome and his fellow citizens. Pushed by his controlling and ambitious mother Volumnia (Vaness... read more read more...a Redgrave) to seek the exalted and powerful position of Consul, he is loath to ingratiate himself with the masses whose votes he needs in order to secure the office. When the public refuses to support him, Coriolanus's anger prompts a riot that culminates in his expulsion from Rome. The banished hero then allies himself with his sworn enemy Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler) to take his revenge on the city. -- (C) Weinstein Co

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58% liked it

10,973 ratings

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94% liked it

132 critics

R, 2 hr. 2 min.

Directed by: Ralph Fiennes

Release Date: January 13, 2011

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DVD Release Date: May 29, 2012

Stats: 999 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (999)

  • FiLmCrAzY
    May 10, 2013
    FiLmCrAzY
    Fiennes gives an explosive performance however the movie leaves a bitter taste. Modern day view of a Shakespearean play which i felt didn't really work. Visually stunning but fails where it actually matters.
  • hunterjt13
    April 18, 2013
    hunterjt13
    An anti-democratic Roman general battles a rival general and later creates a public relations nightmare.
    It's been almost two decades since I've seen or read Shakespeare's Coriolanus, so it's difficult to remember how the film compares to the original material. What I can... read more say is that I got more out of the film than I remember getting out of the play.
    Ralph Fiennes's direction is flawless. In Coriolanus he creates a film first and a Shakespeare film second. With short scenes, long establishing shots, and pregnant pauses between conversations and monologues, Fiennes uses all the techniques germane to film and relies on the rich text when its most needed; his balance of film and Shakespeare's words is better than most other adaptations.
    Fiennes's vision of Coriolanus fits our time and politics. Martius's open contempt of the proletariat contrasts with the successful patricians who, sharing his contempt, lie to the people to ingratiate themselves. Thus, Coriolanus becomes about how people in power manipulate the masses.
    Fiennes gives a masterful performance, at times gritty and murderous and at other times vulnerable and weepy. Gerard Butler keeps up, and that's the best I can say while seasoned veteran Vanessa Redgrave hits her role out of the park as one of the most bad-ass Shakespearean mothers.
    Overall, Coriolanus is a tour de force for Ralph Fiennes, a too-often underrated actor and director.
  • xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    November 27, 2012
    xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    Nature Teaches Beasts to Know Their Friends

    Decent Shakesperian based movie! Shakespeare's dramas may well be set up in a contemporary set, because the content is timeless. Here the screenplay drama is performed in its original text. The old lines sometimes are in conflict with... read more the modern outfit, but you are quickly caught back to the drama by the violent intrigues and you become strongly affected by the deep conflicts between power and love. The war scenes are realistic and bloody. It is exciting and the outcome uncertain for the uninitiated. Ralph Fiennes both directs and plays the title role and succeeds well. He has got a star team both in front and behind the camera. The film photo by Barry Ackroyd is brilliant. The set and costumes are next to perfection. The 74-year-old Vanessa Redgrave portrays Coriolanus' mother, Volumnia, powerful and convincing. Gerard Butler as the rebel leader acts with strong charisma and realism. Additional casting is also very good. Coriolanus is a tense and violent political wartime thriller which makes Shakespeare not only accessible but utterly captivating. A credible directorial debut from one of the industry's finest working actors.

    The citizens of Rome are hungry. Coriolanus, the hero of Rome, a great soldier and a man of inflexible self-belief despises the people. His extreme views ignite a mass riot. Rome is bloody. Manipulated and out-maneuvered by politicians and even his own mother Volumnia, Coriolanus is banished from Rome. He offers his life or his services to his sworn enemy Tullus Aufidius.
  • allan913
    November 23, 2012
    allan913
    It`s Shakespeare meets The Hurt Locker. A tremendously entertaining and electrifying film. A stylish, lean, muscular and gripping modern drama that packs serious and intense punch of a hard-edge action-thriller. An unforgettable and powerful movie. A triumphant masterwork from Di... read morerector-Star, Ralph Fiennes, he proves to be an extraordinary director. A fiery and rich directional debut. Fiennes gives an astonishing and passionate performance, his best yet. Gerard Butler is outstanding, one of his best performances so far. Butler and Fiennes have never been better, their performances are just simply a tour de force. The performances are truly top-notch from it`s amazing cast. Jessica Chastain is wonderful. Vanessa Redgrave is at her best. Brain Cox and James Nesbitt are excellent. A heart-pounding and exhilarating movie packed with explosive action and the breathtaking drama of Shakespeare`s words. It`s wickedly well-crafted and superbly performed film. A gorgeous, dark and bloody great movie. I loved this movie.
  • cosmo313
    September 25, 2012
    cosmo313
    Full disclosure: I've never read the play this is based on. In fact, I had never heard of this "lesser" Shakespeare until I saw the trailer. And honestly, the trailer is the primary reason I wanted to see the movie. It looked intriguing, and I was curious to see how Fiennes would... read more do in his debut as a director.

    Well, those might not be the best reasons for seeing a movie, because it is shallow, but I don't care. I stuck to my guns, and finally saw it....and I'm glad I did.

    Set in an alternate version of contemporary times, this is the story of a general named Caius Martius from a place that calls itself Rome who is simultaneously revered and feared. He finds himself at odds with his city and its people after his bid for a seat on the Consul backfires after he goes off on a tirade that insults the common people. There's more to it of course, with lots of manipulations, scheming, and political power plays, but essentially what happens is that Caius Martius,(who is given the title Coriolanus after he takes a city from his mortal enemy's territory) finds himself an exile of Rome, and is forced to join forces with his mortal enemy to get revenge on Rome.

    The original work by Shakespeare might take place in Ancient Roman times, but the wonderful thing about the Bard is that his work, minus the specifics, is very timeless and can be relevant in basically any era. The movie is supposed to be in a contemporary alternate Rome, but it seemed more like Serbia and the military actions that took place there during the 1990s. Of course, that could just be from the fact that the movie was shot on location in Belgrade.

    The setting and time are updated, but the original language is unchanged. This can be disorienting for people not used to the Elizabethan style, but it mostly works pretty well. Some of the dialogue does stick out and seem a tad out of place since the story is contemporized, but overall, this is a solid adaptation with some great themes concerning honor, revenge, and political machinations.

    You could call this a war film, especially due to the first like 45 minutes, but in the end this is just a good old fashioned revenge story, and there's not a thing in the world wrong with that. Some of this is pretty gritty, bloody, and grim, but it is awesome. Some of the shaky cam during the action scenes is mildly annoying, and I'm not sure that it use was the best decision, but thankfully the editing keeps things from being completely unwatchable.

    Fiennes does a great job in the lead role. He's intense, brooding, and when things get real, you can just tell some serious business is about to go down. I love Gerard Butler, and it's cool seeing him here as Coriolanus's sworn foe, but he's actually a little underwhelming here, and there's not as much of him as I was hoping for. He is decent though. Along with them, the film does have a solid supporting cast who all do really good jobs, especially Brian Cox, and most of all Vanessa Redgrave.

    All in all, the play might be lesser Shakespeare (in terms of popularity and quality), but this is a stirring and gripping film. Definitely give it a chance. Fiennes is a little rusty as a director, but I think this could nevertheless be the great beginning for him as a man behind the camera.
  • spielberg00
    July 16, 2012
    spielberg00
    When I am grading war movies, I'd say about fifty percent of the final score is devoted to how reverently the film demonstrates war. For example, LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA earned a solid four and a half stars, due to its poignant, moving value; whereas BLACK HAWK DOWN earned two star... read mores, basically the result of bumping down a letter grade by every time its mindless action lost me ten brain cells. CORIOLANUS is a bit different. Yes, it's certainly a war film in some respect, but it's actually a bit more a revenge thriller. Had this meant to be saddening in its depiction of the subject matter, it would have failed.

    Though they may have suffered from stiff dialogue, the characters delivered. Not one of the performances was anything that closely surrounds mediocrity, especially Ralph Fiennes. It's always impressive to have someone behind and in front of the camera, but it's even more so when he or she or leading in both ways. It's absolutely mind-blowing when you have somebody like Fiennes himself, who is at the very top of his game as director and leading actor. It would be a sin for the Academy to not bestow upon him a nomination for both Best Director and Best Actor, come early 2013. Even the film's audience somewhat fears him as Caius Martius in the beginning of the film. His role grows stronger and stronger, leading up to one of the most shocking conclusions I have ever witnessed. It takes some chutzpah to take a (true) story nearly two and a half millennia old and transform it into something contemporary.

    full review at themoviefreakblog.com
  • phubbs1
    June 26, 2012
    phubbs1
    So I saw the poster for this film with Fiennes being all bald and blooded seemingly going for a Brando 'Apocalypse Now' look and I was intrigued.

    I didn't really know of this play by a certain famous English playwrite but kinda got the impression it may have been pumped up with ... read moreaction and fighting for the modern era. The poster along with write ups saying the story had been updated tempted me greatly.

    First thoughts of course are the two main leads played by Fiennes and Butler, surely this would have some kick assery involved? surely 'King Leonidas' would be storming around Rome screaming at folk
    through his Scottish facial hair as he gunned them down in a hail of bullets and claret? well no.

    This is in fact the full Shakespearean play (as far as I know) simply updated to modern times. So its modern day Rome with modern SWAT team-like soldiers for Fiennes whilst Butler leads an army of terrorist-like rebels against Rome, the media run amok in the middle. Some sections play out like real time media coverage but its mostly dialog between characters on sets/locations with the full verbal force of Williams writings.
    There is no real added action or violence bar one sequence near the start, a bit of gun fire, a small grapple between Fiennes and Butler. Most of the story is hinted at through news coverage.

    So Fiennes hasn't made this into a testosterone filled fight flick but stuck to the pure formula of Shakespeare. All that has been done is set the play within our present day with everything in the play updated to how we would see it. He could of done it the other way also and made a totally different film but keeping the essence ( eg.'Romeo + Juliet') which could of worked but respect to his decision.

    Honestly this really wasn't my cup of tea, there is nothing wrong with the film, the acting is superb from all, it bewilders and amazes me they manage to learn the lines! Unless you know the play and follow the dialog you may find yourself lost haha the plot is relatively easy to follow but I had no clue what the characters were saying most of the time, its mainly guess work and body reactions I looked out for hehe.

    Yep as I mentioned before its all the original bards writings and sayings throughout so get your Shakespearean to English dictionaries out folks. Fans of Shakespeare will enjoy I'm sure, how can you not enjoy Fiennes in full flow? personally I didn't like the modern day setting it just didn't look or feel right for me, ancient Rome will always look/feel better in my opinion. Also the old English Renaissance script is too much too swallow after about 10 minutes.

    Solid stuff, cannot fault the acting skills involved to bring the play/story to life but I feel it serves more as an educational piece for students or lesson for bidding thespians. Without sounding too sacrilegious there is a good storyline here which could easily be made into a more 'fun' film for the masses, if you get me (Baz Luhrmann already proved this) but I digress again.

    A well performed 'piece' if you will that will satisfy the right audience.
  • SirPant
    June 11, 2012
    SirPant
    Many have said that Ralph Fiennes was quite brave to set his version of Coriolanus in a contemporary setting. I personally think it was only a matter of time before someone did, it seems to be the logical progression of the Bards work and also he knows his stuff, I think it was a... read morelways a safe bet. So why have I only given it 3 1/2 stars, well I think the brave part of the film is Fiennes directing as well as playing the lead role. I'm afraid the direction lets it down massively in my opinion, the shaky camera during the war films looked more like it was trying to hide the lack of convincing war action rather than show the chaos of combat and for the rest of the film the editing and composition are pretty amateur. However, like all good plays, it is all about the performances and this he got right. Fiennes, Butler, Cox and Redgrave are unsurprisingly brilliant. Seeing James Nesbitt on the big screen was a pleasure and a long time over due. I really like Jessica Chastain but she was totally wasted here, I also thought the supporting cast of 'Citizens' let the film down a little but the casting of Jon Snow as 'News Anchor' was inspired and a great surprise - he's quite good eh! Overall it was a very good film, it just seem to lack a certain punch. It obviously had a reasonably good budget but at times it looked like it was done on a shoe-string, a gallant first effort but ever-so slightly misses the mark.
  • MrMarakai
    June 6, 2012
    MrMarakai
    As a personal rule, I don't watch adaptations of William Shakespeare's works unless I've read the play beforehand. I like to have a frame of reference when it comes to the bard but in this case, I capitulated and couldn't resist putting the film off any longer. I'll always wish t... read morehat I had found the time but that doesn't diminish the overall quality or power of this interpretation from first time director Ralph Fiennes.
    In a war ravished modern state calling itself Rome, where the people and the military have taken to the streets, hero General Caius Martius (Ralph Fiennes) is set to become the leader of the republic. Opponents across the political scale have other ideas though and attempt to orchestrate his downfall and banishment. Once exiled, the furious General forms an alliance with former nemesis Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler) and returns home, intent on taking revenge on the city that has scorned him.
    Despite the modern alternative setting that Fiennes chooses for his adaptation, he still manages to retain the feel of a play. Some scenes reflect a classic BBC dramatisation and he employs some high quality actors to provide the goods. The classically trained actress Vanessa Redgrave is the most comfortable amongst the ensemble as the influential matriarch Volumunia. She delivers her lines with absolute confidence and such an understanding of Shakespeare's iambic pentameter. She's not alone though; for as little time as they get, the ubiquitous Jessica Chastain delivers a reserved performance as Corialanus' disconsolate wife Virgilia and Gerard Butler proves that his talents lie beyond mere rom-com's and mindless action movies as Aufidius, the rebel leader of the Volscian army. Butler's fellow Scotsman Brian Cox also shows some real presence in one of his better roles of recent years as the Roman senator Menenius. But as the tortured and unrelenting protagonist Caius Martius Coriolanus, it's Fiennes that takes centre stage, chewing it up in the process and delivering an intense and ferocious performance. It's often forgotten how good an actor Fiennes really is but this is proof, once again, that given some meaty material, he can really sink his teeth into it. Shakespeare's works tend to be all about the prose and the performers and as much as this film delivers on that front, it also delivers an effective modern setting with surprisingly brilliant action set-pieces. There is a real intensity to the politics involved and Fiennes wisely chooses to stick with the original material. It's hard to balance Shakespeare's writing's in a contemporary way and for the most part, it works impressively. However, as the original play is based on a supposed Roman general during the 5th century BC, there are regular references to the common beliefs of this time. "The gods" is an often used piece of dialogue that doesn't quite fit with the chosen setting and whenever the actors deliver lines with such, it jars slightly. The rest of the film though, is a towering and mesmerising take on the machinations and intrigue of political power.
    As always with Shakespeare, it takes a while to tune your ear but the visuals are so effective and the performances so good, that it brings one of his lesser known tragedies, comfortably, to a wider audience. It also heralds the arrival of exemplary actor Ralph Fiennes as an exemplary new director.
  • DrZeek
    February 7, 2012
    DrZeek
    Coriolanus: Nature teaches beasts to know their friends.

    I am a fan of actor Ralph Fiennes. I enjoy stories involving Greek tragedies. And I tend to like films that reappropriate the works of Shakespeare in interesting ways. I found the concept of having Ralph Fiennes star i... read moren his directorial debut of the Shakespeare tragedy Coriolanus, which has been set in modern times, despite retaining the Shakespearean dialogue, to be an intriguing one. Fortunately, it paid off greatly for me and those who would be similarly interested in such a thing. While the modern setting makes way for some pretty stylish action sequences early on, the film is mainly a powerhouse of acting, with characters digging into the usage of iambic pentameter, and delivering fine work all around.

    read the whole review at thecodeiszeek.com

View All Coriolanus Reviews

Critic Reviews

John Hartl
January 8, 2013
John Hartl, Seattle Times

The other actors do their best to help Fiennes define this curious anti-hero. Incapable of playing the role of peacetime compromiser, his Coriolanus comes across as a warrior who simply can't function... Full Review

Richard Corliss
January 8, 2013
Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine

The film has fifth-act problems, as did the play, but Fiennes' bleak overview should leave receptive viewers feeling daunted and haunted. Full Review

Greg Quill
January 8, 2013
Greg Quill, Toronto Star

The play's inherent difficulties notwithstanding, Coriolanus, the movie, is a perfectly sound achievement. Full Review

Peter Rainer
January 8, 2013
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

Fiennes leads a cast that, at least in the major roles, is uniformly powerful. Full Review

Connie Ogle
March 23, 2012
Connie Ogle, Miami Herald

Slathered in blood, covered with scars and glowering with a predator's gaze, Ralph Fiennes makes a fierce and impressive Caius Martius Coriolanus. Full Review

Tom Long
March 9, 2012
Tom Long, Detroit News

It's all very unnerving, modern and yet veins-in-the-teeth visceral. Full Review

Kerry Lengel
March 8, 2012
Kerry Lengel, Arizona Republic

As a portrait of modern warfare, politics and propaganda, "Coriolanus" is intriguing, even if the gritty action sequences don't quite measure up to the realism of "The Hurt Locker." Full Review

Colin Covert
March 1, 2012
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Ralph Fiennes turns one of Shakespeare's least-loved plays into a slashing, muscular but uneven modern drama in his film-directing debut. Full Review

Steven Rea
February 16, 2012
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Even in what is viewed as a minor work, the inevitable currents of ambition and violence, cruelty and competition, rivalry and rage run strong and truthfully. Full Review

Ty Burr
February 16, 2012
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

When Caius Martius heads into battle against the invading Volscians, we get 20-odd minutes of brutal street-fighting with RPGs and crackling automatic weapons. The film was shot in Serbia; dial a few ... Full Review

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    • Tullus Aufidius: I think he'll be to Rome as is the osprey to the fish, who takes it by sovereignty of nature.
    • Tribune Brutus: Nature teaches beasts to know their friends.
    • Tribune Brutus: Anger's my meat; I sup upon myself, and so shall starve with feeding.
    • Caius Martius 'Coriolanus': O, a kiss long as my exile, sweet as my revenge!
    • Caius Martius 'Coriolanus': You common cry of curs! whose breath I hate As reek o'the rotten fens, whose loves I prize As the dead carcases of unburied men That do corrupt my air.
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  • which film was Denzel Washington's first acting role?  Answer »
  • Denzel Washington's first big screen film was 'Coriolanus' as Aedile/Roman Citizen/Volscian Citizen/Roman Soldier/Volscian Soldier.   Answer »
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