Francesca Annis, John Stride, Jon Finch, Martin Shaw, Nicholas Selby
"Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" - but the bodies keep piling up today, from the opening battle, to the beheading of the traitor Cawdor, to the - onscreen - murder of Duncan, to the electrifying f... read more 
DVD Release Date: May 7, 2002
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Stats: 443 reviews
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Flixster Reviews (443)
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July 11, 2011Bloody yet brilliant adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth. One of the few film adaptations of Shakespeare that I've thoroughly enjoyed watching. Jon Finch was absolutely incredible as Macbeth. I also loved the actress who played Lady Macbeth. Highly recommended.
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December 22, 2010In case you ever wondered what would happen if Polanski did a Shakespeare production, check out this movie, it's actually very cool. I loved it.
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June 9, 2009The violent refelling of this classic story was commissioned and underwritten by publisher Hugh Hefner. I watched this William Shakespeare's tragedy tale when I was 17 with my old deaf class-mates for our English studies. Director Roman Polanski's 1971 film is grim yet compelling... read more
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August 10, 2007The very real murder of Polanski's wife was the genesis of this ultra violent take on Shakespeare's finest play. A riveting spiral of hate, ambition and betrayal. great performance by Jon Finch.
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July 11, 2007Rich and thick as stew. A graphic introduction to Shakespeare in shocking display.
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June 19, 2006Macbeth is creepy for all the wrong reasons. Roman Polanski real shows his genius turning into insanity with this appalling Shakespeare adaptation.
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December 18, 2010Hauntingly demented, Polanski's "Macbeth" is a very slow and underdeveloped film that still refuses to keep itself from being extremely and often times distractingly gratuitous in it's twistedly realistic violence and unnecessary nudity. However, Polanski does direct the film mas... read more
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October 27, 2006A blood-spattered, bold and utterly compelling adaptation. The performances are great, the atmosphere is undeniably strong and the direction is solid. This grim, violent masterpiece captures the tone of the play in a strikingly unique way.
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October 25, 2010Shakespeare's dialogues may not be that accessible in these days, but Roman Polanski's rendition of his play about ambition wrapped within madness and paranoia is quite simply a great piece of cinema to behold. It's great to hear the deep, flowery Shakesperean words, but what mak... read more
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May 23, 2012A sharp re-telling of one of Shakespeare's most brutal and brilliant plays, from the smart and nimble fingers of Roman Polanski. It's a well-acted and lush version, even on a low budget and with an often gamey production (mostly by Playboy, I was shocked to discover).
There are ... read more
Critic Reviews
March 26, 2009
Variety Staff, Variety
July 3, 2008
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
The wide-screen visuals swamp the dialogue, and the thematics have been turned inside out -- but that's what movie adaptations ought to do. Full Review
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
This is an original film by an original film artist, and not an 'interpretation.' Full Review
May 4, 2004
J. Hoberman, Village Voice
The film's bear-baiting, barnyard pageantry is less convincing than its clammy locations. Full Review
May 12, 2012
Austin Kennedy, Sin Magazine
If you're a fan of Shakespeare or Polanski, you won't want to miss this. Full Review
December 6, 2009
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
Polanski's worldview of brutish power-plays couldn't be more at home in Shakespeare's medieval times Full Review
July 3, 2008
TV Guide's Movie Guide
Polanski elicited naturalistic understated performances from his actors which bolstered the play's realism while bringing the poetry down to earth. Some would argue he brought it too far down. Full Review
July 2, 2008
Film4
Polanski has increased the film's barbaric realism and fills the screen with blood, mud and brooding atmosphere. Full Review
June 24, 2006
Derek Adams, Time Out
Polanski's evident desire to elicit understated, naturalistic performances from his cast also underplays the poetry of the play... Full Review
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The Tragedy of Macbeth (Macbeth)
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