Director Geoffrey Wright gave us the Australian neo-Nazi movie Romper Stomper, launching Russell Crowe into the spotlight. It’s a pity they couldn’t reunite for this modernisation of Shakespeare’s ‘Scottish play’, as most of its shortfall is down to leading man Sam Worthington, who seldom displays the requisite charisma for such a character.
He’s not solely to blame, though; while many of Wright’s modernisations are novel (the witches’ ‘mist’ being switched on in a nightclub is a nice touch), it’s a shame the production doesn’t have budget enough to provide a much-needed coat of gloss.
Still, the supporting cast is solid, and it’s fun to hear the play uttered in gravely Antipodean accents.