Film: Coriolanus
Cast includes: Ralph Fiennes (The English Patient), Gerard Butler (The Phantom of the Opera), Brian Cox (The Bourne Identity), Jessica Chastine (The Tree of Life), Vanessa Redgrave (Howards End)
Director: Ralph Fiennes (directorial debut)
Genre: Drama, adapted from William Shakespeare play (2011)
As the film opens, we see a tattooed warrior sharpening a knife as images from war-ravaged Rome appear on TV. “Thousands wait for food,” reads the caption. “Senate declares a state of emergency.” When the scene changes to Rome, we see rioters in the streets marching against the central grain depot, crying, “Bread, bread, bread.” They blame Caius Martius, but Martius doesn’t shrink from their anger. Instead he scorns them for not taking up arms against the enemy… “they’re not lions, but hares… get home, you fragments!” (You gotta love Shakespeare!) But war continues and soon Martius is fighting the Volscain army again. The fight becomes personal when Martius encounters Tullus Aufidius, their commander. Aufidius and Martius have met in combat before… “He is a lion that I am proud to hunt.” Although their personal fight ends in a draw, the Roman army defeats the Volscains for now, and Martius returns to Rome as a hero.
Martius is promoted to general and given the honorary name, “Coriolanus.” But Martius refuses to stand by and listen to the praise bestowed upon him. Nor will he show his battle scars, of which he certainly has many. For the moment, Martius is a hero. But when he decides to “stand for consul,” he finds he has even more devious enemies to face. Politicians Brutus and Sicinius manage to turn the common people against Martius, even thought they had almost forgiven him for withholding grain. Martius’s ambitious mother coaches him on talking to the people in a more politically correct manor to win back their favor. The public is aggravatingly fickle! Martius’s pride is apparently stronger than his mother’s pleas. And his pride will cost him dearly.
Coriolanus is not one of Shakespeare’s more famous dramas. Most theater companies pass it over, in favor of crowd pleasers, such as Macbeth, Hamlet or King Lear. Many scholars feel this is due to the unsympathetic nature of the central character. Although Macbeth is a flawed character, he tells us what’s on his mind and we have some sympathy for him. Martius is a battle-hardened warrior, and he almost never reveals a sympathetic core. But that said… this Coriolanus is a gripping story from beginning to end. You’ll never see a more muscular, bloody, scared and tattooed rendition of Shakespeare. Visually, it’s totally modern in it’s depiction of a war-torn country (filmed in Belgrade, Serbia… the parts that tourists don’t visit). Viewers not familiar with the play may find it difficult at first, keeping up with the unfamiliar Latin names. The language may be challenging at times, too… of course, it's wonderful at other times. But none of these challenges should prevent you from becoming immersed in the story. (I’ll admit that I went to Wikipedia afterward to make sure I had understood some of the details correctly.) Director/Actor Ralph Fiennes has done an amazing job of making this Coriolanus accessible and relevant. It’s not a pretty picture, and it’s not always enjoyable to watch as war engulfs the region. But what would you expect in a story with themes of pride, betrayal, scorn and vengeance?
4 popped kernels
Gritty Shakespeare with an unsympathetic but compelling central character
Popcorn Profile
Rated: R
Primary Audience: Grown-ups
Gender Appeal: Any audience
Distribution: Art house
Mood: Somber
Tempo: Zips right along
Visual Style: High-end production
Character Development: Engaging
Language: Artful
Social Significance: Thought provoking
