“He is a lion that I am proud to hunt.”
What’s it all about? CORIOLANUS is an odd creature and often bombastic to the point of disengagement. Based on a lesser-known Shakespeare play, screenwriter John Logan and director Ralph Fiennes adapt the political career of Caius Martius Coriolanus to modern sensibilities, setting the film in a “Rome” which is largely reminiscent of the current climate in the Middle-East.
Mr. Fiennes directs and stars as the titular character, an unforgiving general who has suspended the liberties of the people of “Rome” during civil unrest. The Romans are led by Coriolanus and the Patrician political party, featuring Brian Cox and James Nesbitt as senators. They are in a military dispute with the Volscian army, a rebel group headed by Aufidius (Gerry Butler, surprisingly great in this role). Coriolanus attempts to upgrade his status from military leader to the consul of “Rome”, a decision which is received negatively by the citizens he treated so poorly only moments prior to his political aspirations. Outside of this initial premise, there isn’t very much to the plot of CORIOLANUS. The only other things that you need to know — or, rather, the only other things that you learn — are that Coriolanus loves his mother (the stunningly-talented Vanessa Redgrave), hates Aufidius and is an abusively-neglectful father and husband (to Jessica Chastain, ever the victimized wife).
Though clocking in an intense performance as the military-man, Mr. Fiennes’ directorial debut is uneven and often, simply, poor. In the film’s first thirty minutes, the acclaimed actor’s lack of directorial chops is evident. The framing of each shot is questionable, as the director almost never uses establishing shots for new sets, preferring the constant use of shaky-cam close-ups. This becomes grating very quickly into the film. When an audience has not yet become acclimated to the language of early Renaissance drama, the director should provide as many visual cues as possible, providing direction in a sea of political subtitles which, given the source material, are conveyed in aged metaphors. Instead of establishing CORIOLANUS’ universe and providing the audience with a solid ground for the film, Mr. Fiennes uses the first thirty minutes to allow his actors to scream dense dialogue over incredibly-loud explosions and gunfire. Thirty minutes in, I didn’t really know what was going on besides the basics — and I went to university for early Renaissance drama.
CORIOLANUS does get more enjoyable as Mr. Fiennes’ directing gains focus with emphasis on emotional conflict in the latter half over the film’s prior heavy use of machine guns and explosions. But I can’t find anything in CORIOLANUS that would justify a second viewing. At least all the gunfire in this adaptation might make sixteen-year-old boys pay attention in English class — and I guess that’s a win in the long run.
Originally published on September 16, 2011. (2011 Toronto International Film Festival; Attended by director and cast.)
Notes: Directed by Ralph Fiennes; Produced by Carolyn Marks Blackwood, Christopher Figg, James Gallimore, Christine Langan, Marko Miskovic, Robert Whitehouse, Gabrielle Tana, Ralph Fiennes, John Logan, Julia Taylor-Stanley, Colin Vaines; Starring Gerard Butler, Ralph Fiennes, Brian Cox, Vanessa Redgrave, Jessica Chastain, James Nesbitt; Written by William Shakespeare, John Logan; Cinematography by Barry Ackroyd; Edited by Nicolas Gaster; Music by Paul Saunderson.
