Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard bring raw, primal intensity to Shakespeare's tragedy of ambition and guilt in this visually stunning adaptation set against the bleak, blood-soaked landscapes of medieval Scotland. Director Justin Kurzel films the famous story with the eye of a war photographer, opening with a devastating battle sequence that establishes the trauma underpinning Macbeth's descent from loyal general to tyrannical king driven mad by prophecy and his wife's ruthless encouragement. The film strips the language to its most essential lines while amplifying the physical and psychological horror, creating what may be the most cinematically powerful 'Macbeth' ever committed to screen.