Overview
Ambition and betrayal collide in a dark tale of power and madness.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- bleak
- foreboding
- visceral
- serious movie night
- shakespeare viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Justin Kurzel's cinematic flair, Michael Fassbender's commanding performance, and Marion Cotillard's intense Lady Macbeth while finding some performances' diction distracting.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Battlefields, castles, fog, and drifting smoke repeatedly turn medieval Scotland into an ominous, nearly abstract landscape.
Macbeth's prophecy-driven pursuit of the Scottish crown develops from aspiration into murder, paranoia, and destructive tyranny.
The witches' forecast of Macbeth's future kingship catalyzes his actions without directly forcing his crimes.
The production renders Shakespeare's tragedy through muddy combat, stark bloodshed, and physically intense performances.
Films like Macbeth, and why
The King
stylized medieval warfare, political ambition, and tragic psychological drama
Hamlet
Shakespearean tragedy, heightened visual design, and corrosive power struggles
The Last Duel
bleak historical atmosphere, brutal succession conflict, and fatalistic drama
The Tragedy of Macbeth
visually austere period filmmaking, moral collapse, and intimate political violence
Movie Details
- Director
- Justin Kurzel
- Release Date
- 2015-09-22
- Runtime
- 113 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (1551)
Cast
- Michael Fassbender
- Marion Cotillard
- Paddy Considine
- Sean Harris
- Jack Reynor
- Elizabeth Debicki
- David Thewlis
- David Hayman
- Maurice Roëves
- Ross Anderson
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Macbeth about?
- A stark and hallucinatory Shakespearean tragedy in which a Scottish warrior turns prophecy into a bloody campaign for the crown.
- What is Macbeth like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Macbeth as measured, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Macbeth violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Macbeth as graphic.
- What did critics think of Macbeth?
- Critics broadly praised Justin Kurzel's cinematic flair, Michael Fassbender's commanding performance, and Marion Cotillard's intense Lady Macbeth while finding some performances' diction distracting.
- Which films are like Macbeth?
- Films with a similar feel include The King, Hamlet, The Last Duel, and The Tragedy of Macbeth.
- How long is Macbeth?
- Macbeth runs 113 minutes.
- Where can I watch Macbeth?
- In United States, Macbeth streams on Amazon Prime Video, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel.
