Cymbeline
Year: 2014
Director: Michael Almereyda
Writers: Michael Almereyda William Shakespeare
Run Time: 98 min.
Production: Grindstone Entertainment Group
Benaroya Pictures
Distributed by Lionsgate
A few years ago my son discovered a love of theatre, and I rediscovered it from my own youth. Since then we have been to numerous productions at the Stratford Festival in Stratford Ontario. We both try and read the plays before going and often watch other productions before going to see the play live. This was a stunning production that is very hard hitting, done in the style of the 1996 Romeo and Juliet. In that it is filmed with modern sets, weapons and vehicles, but keeps the Shakespeare language and pacing.
The description of the DVD of this movie states:
“Academy Award nominees Ethan Hawke (2014, Best Supporting Actor, Boyhood) and Ed Harris (2000, Best Actor, Pollock) lead a powerhouse cast including Milla Jovovich, John Leguizamo, Penn Badgley, Dakota Johnson, Anton Yelchin, Bill Pullman, and Delroy Lindo in a gritty story of a take-no-prisoners war between dirty cops and an outlaw biker gang. When extortion, betrayal, and fiery passions threaten his criminal empire, a drug kingpin (Harris) is driven to desperate measures in this explosive, modern retelling of Shakespeare's timeless tragedy.”
And the synopsis states:
“Based on the play Cymbeline by William Shakespeare, the story revolves around a war between dirty cops and a biker gang. The king of the bikers has lost his sons and needs his daughter to marry royalty to maintain the bloodline. The new Queen wishes to kill the king and her step-daughter in order to install her own son as the new gang leader. The step-daughter has married a penniless gang member, who is banished from the gang territory by the King. The banished son-in-law is tricked into believing that his wife is unfaithful through a photograph taken while she was sleeping. These many intertwined players will travel through desperate straits before all is resolved.”
Key Cast:
Ethan Hawke as Iachimo
Ed Harris as Cymbeline
Milla Jovovich as The Queen
John Leguizamo as Pisanio
Penn Badgley as Posthumus
Dakota Johnson as Imogen
Anton Yelchin as Cloten
Peter Gerety as Dr. Cornelius
Kevin Corrigan as The Hangman
Vondie Curtis-Hall as Caius Lucius
James Ransone as Philario
Spencer Treat Clark as Guiderius
Bill Pullman as Sicilius Leonatus
Delroy Lindo as Belarius
Harley Ware as Arviragus
Diego Cortez as Frechman
Mauricio Ovalle as Fu Manchu
This is an excellent production. Since watching it I have mentioned it to numerous friends and family. And it has come back to mind often. After seeing the play version of Cymbeline from Stratford twice now I can say both are excellent productions. This production keeps true to the play very closely. The play version gender swapped the roles making it Queen Cymbeline but it worked very well.
In this version I came to have a greater appreciation for many of the actors who were in the production. Ethan Hawke as Iachimo was outstanding as the villain.
And Ed Harris’s portrayal of King Cymbeline is masterfully played. I was surprised by Milla Jovovich as The Queen and her cunning and guile. But a stand out performance was John Leguizamo as Pisanio.
This has taken over as my favourite film production of a Shakespeare play. It is a near perfect execution. The cast, the music, the action it is all very well done. I can easily recommend this production for fans of Shakespeare, or to be honest anyone who wants an incredible drama action movie to watch!
Reviews of Stratford Shakespeare Productions:
Richard III – 2022
Hamlet – 2022
King Lear – 2023
Goblin MacBeth - 2023
Romeo & Juliette – 2024
Cymbeline – 2024
Twelfth Night – 2024
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Reviews of Shakespeare Movies:
Cymbeline – 2014
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