(MA) Directed by Ralph Fiennes
William Shakespeare’s plays are known for universal themes that have endured the passage of time. Many of his plays have been superimposed on modern settings and preserved on film. Coriolanus is a moving tragedy with more battle scenes than his other plays and at the centre of its action is Roman General Caius Martius Coriolanas (Ralph Fiennes). Coriolanas is seemingly indestructible as he leads his forces against the Volscian army, led by Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler). The two men have met many times before. Although they carry scars of their encounters and profess to hate each other, it is obvious that Aufidius in particular admires his opponent. In turn, when Martius defeats Aufidius, he declares, ‘He is the lion I am proud to hunt.’
Set in a place calling itself Rome, but reminiscent of war-torn Serbia where it is filmed, the violence is not confined to the battlegrounds. There is a shortage of food, at least for the general population, and they have hit the streets in protest. Whilst he is a respected soldier, Martius does not have the love of the people because of his brusque manner and inability to ingratiate himself with the crowds. When a political manoeuver to gain more power backfires (a universal theme indeed), Martius is exiled and decides to find his revenge by aligning with his former foe Aufidius. Aufidius welcomes the warrior like a long-lost brother, and gives his half of his army to wage war against the Roman armies. It is only when Martius seems unstoppable that his formidable mother Volumnia (Vanessa Redgrave) tries to get him to see reason.
The action is quite violent with extreme close-up, hand-held cinematography taking the audience into the middle of the forays. Blood runs freely, with a blood-covered Fiennes emblematic of ferocious determination in battle. Although traditional knives are favoured for more intimate fights, there are no men in sandals as the combat is conducted with full battle fatigue and automatic weapons. Everything about this rendition echoes modern day sensibilities and it actually takes some time to get used to the undiluted Shakespearian language being delivered. Brought to life by a fantastic cast, with great first-time direction by Ralph Fiennes, it is Shakespeare’s central dilemma that anchors this gory drama. For, even though Martius Coriolanus and Aufidius were rivals in war, their respect for each other and the intensity of their relationship exceeded all others in importance.
–Lezly Herbert
