Coriolanus (2012)

Why so much hype?

Gripping story with well-crafted characters

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

First, this is Shakespeare and it uses his original dialogue, so anyone that doesn't appreciate the rich language shouldn't be watching this, never-mind reviewing it. I find it sad that so many negative reviews here revolve around the difficult (wonderful) language. If anything, too much of Shakespeare's writing was cut out in order to make the movie shorter, and some scenes and characters suffer because of it.Second, it is transported to a modern setting despite the language, in order to demonstrate its universal themes. Sometimes this works quite well (see Richard III with Loncraine/McKellen). Here, the result is a mixed bag. The modern settings with news-rooms, tanks and trucks work very well, but the war-action scenes sometimes feel shoe-horned in just to try to make Shakespeare more thrilling and pander to audiences, and a key plot element that involves the Roman practice of a hero showing the people his physical wounds in order to gain their trust, doesn't work anymore.The acting is generally good, although the wide range of accents are too distracting, and Azabal chews the scenery and ruins her scenes. The direction is passable.As mentioned, some scenes suffer from too much cutting of dialogue. I found the key scene involving the turning of the crowd against Coriolanus, too awkwardly staccato. Where the original writing had speeches that sway people's emotions, this has abrupt statements and declarations, and many of the characters lose their dimensions as a result.But all these can be overlooked and the movie enjoyed despite these flaws. The one flaw I was not able to overcome is Fiennes characterization of Coriolanus. He portrays him as way too contemptuous and angry, a spiteful man beyond sympathy that basically brought the tragedy on himself. Whereas my impression while reading the play was of a socially awkward, hard, but basically honorable and good man led astray by politics and pressure. Including more of Shakespeare's colorful dialogue and soliloquies could have helped.

Excellent. But I found that I had to use the English subtitles on the DVD.Stands head & shoulders over the usual Hollywood pap that is pumped out.Shakespeare's critique of democracy? 'Pressure Group' politics shown. Confusion about who should Lead, be the CEO.Warfare scenes in early part of movie seemed very realistic - urban battles, house to house. Also, a group similar to the modern 'Occupy Wall Street' movement seems to be portrayed demanding bread & confronting the army of General Martius.Also, General Martius has an Arch-Enemy, the leader of a nearby terrorist nation, who threatens the modern 'Rome' of the 21st century .Kept my interest (thanks to the help of the subtitles) all the way. IF YOU WANT TO SEE GOOD ACTING, i.e., EXCELLENT ACTORS AT WORK, SEE THIS.SPOILER ALERT: Shakespeare's tragedy could have been called 'From Hero to- Enemy of Rome - to Zero'

Reading the Amazon write-up, I expected a Roman times thriller ... instead I got a modern day thriller taking place in a non-Rome "Rome," with ancient Roman names, and, of all things, Shakespearean language. Great actors and great acting aside, I'm one of the vast majority who despise Shakespeare and his unintelligible manner of speaking. I'm happy for the .025% of folks who enjoy this kind of thing, but for the rest of us, please warn us ahead of time, OK? Unless these fine actors were working for scale, this flick had to have lost multi-millions, taking in (according to IMDb) a pitiful $600k+.So if you LOVE Shakespeare, you'll love this flick. If you don't, stay FAR, FAR away!

at first sigh, translation of Shakespeare's play in contemporary formulas. in fact, high performances, fresh spirit of original, Rome in a credible and strange images who remands wars and crisis, politic errors and hypocrisy. a film who explores roots, solutions, emotions, fake options . a film about heroes and their failure. about contemporary politic life because the laws, tricks are the same. result - a kind of House of Cards. not very different essence. only forms who reminds art of theater, an ambiguous genius , actors who gives proofs of admirable manner to resurrect a text and its substance. a provocative film. because it is not exactly adaptation of a play on screen. but a provocative portrait of power, duty and force of fundamental decisions.