I am pleased to report that the latest
film adaptation of Coriolanus is AWESOME. When I found it
on Netflix, I was immediately intrigued by the cast: Gerard Butler, Jessica
Chastain, and Vanessa Redgrave as the big names. But then I watched the
trailer… and I was a little skeptical. Despite my reservations of the modern
militia focus mixed with the Shakespeare speech, I committed to watching the
two-hour adaptation. And I was pleasantly surprised. First of all, Jessica
Chastain’s Virgilia was perfect. Yes, she was a weepy mess but Chastain pulled it
off in a way that made Virgilia a likable and sympathetic character. Vanessa Redgrave, as Volumnia, was
even more perfect. Her costumes were femininely commanding and she gave off a
really powerful vibe by towering over everyone. One of the best additions in
the film was a scene in which Volumnia (Redgrave) dresses Martius’s (Fiennes)
wounds in the bathroom. He’s shirtless and vulnerable, she’s standing over and
dressing him, and there’s all this awkward sexual tension. Virgilia actually walks
into the bathroom, sees them, and abruptly walks back out. This scene was
directed perfectly, and shed light on the underlying mommy-issues that plague
Martius. Speaking of Martius’s issues, Fiennes and Butler nail the bromance
dynamic. In the final scene, Aufidius actually kills Martius, pulling him close
and stabbing him in the gut in an overtly sexual and remarkably tender way.
What I
appreciated most about this adaptation was the commitment to the original
lines/staging aspects. Although some parts of scenes were left out, I didn’t
feel cheated of anything important. And they did a tasteful job of addressing Martius's underlying issues involving his mother and Aufidius. The way Fiennes played out these issues actually made him a pretty sympathetic character. I was put off by the modern setting at
first, but I quickly grew to appreciate it. The style created an effect of
timelessness. Similarly, the issues addressed in the play are still entirely relevant:
war, poverty, cheated citizens, and crooked politicians. I definitely recommend the movie to anyone who hasn't seen it yet!
Bonus: here’s a picture of Martius and Aufidius in the heat
of the moment
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