Coriolanus (2011)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Al S

  
  It`s Shakespeare meets The Hurt Locker. A tremendously entertainiing and electrifying film. A stylish, lean, muscular and gripping modern drama that packs serious and intense punch of a hard-edge action-thriller. An unforgettable and powerful movie. A triumphant masterwork from… More
  It`s Shakespeare meets The Hurt Locker. A tremendously entertainiing and electrifying film. A stylish, lean, muscular and gripping modern drama that packs serious and intense punch of a hard-edge action-thriller. An unforgettable and powerful movie. A triumphant masterwork from Director-Star, Ralph Fiennes, he proves to be an extroadinary director. A firey and rich directional debut. Fiennes gives an astonishing and passionate performance, his best yet. Gerard Butler is outstanding, one of his best performances so far. Butler and Fiennes have never been better, their performances are just simply a tour de force. The peroformances are truly top-notch from it`s amazing cast. Jessica Chastain is wonderful. Vanessa Redgrave is at her best. Brain Cox and James Nesbitt are excellent. A heart-pounding and exhilerating movie packed with explosive action and the breathtaking drama of Shakespeare`s words. It`s wickedly well-crafted and superbly performend film. A gorgeous, dark and bloody great movie. I loved this movie.

• Aaron N

  
  Coriolanus: Nature teaches beasts to know their friends. I am a fan of actor Ralph Fiennes. I enjoy stories involving Greek tragedies. And I tend to like films that reappropriate the works of Shakespeare in interesting ways. I found the concept of having Ralph Fiennes star in his… More
  Coriolanus: Nature teaches beasts to know their friends. I am a fan of actor Ralph Fiennes. I enjoy stories involving Greek tragedies. And I tend to like films that reappropriate the works of Shakespeare in interesting ways. I found the concept of having Ralph Fiennes star in his directorial debut of the Shakespeare tragedy Coriolanus, which has been set in modern times, despite retaining the Shakespearean dialogue, to be an intriguing one. Fortunately, it paid off greatly for me and those who would be similarly interested in such a thing. While the modern setting makes way for some pretty stylish action sequences early on, the film is mainly a powerhouse of acting, with characters digging into the usage of iambic pentameter, and delivering fine work all around. read the whole review at thecodeiszeek.com

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Nature Teaches Beasts to Know Their Friends"</i> A banished hero of Rome allies with a sworn enemy to take his revenge on the city. <center><font size=+2 face="Century… More
  <i>"Nature Teaches Beasts to Know Their Friends"</i> A banished hero of Rome allies with a sworn enemy to take his revenge on the city. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Shakespeare's tragedy, Coriolanus, directed by Ralph Fiennes, has been successfully translated to the screen, just as Richard III (1995) was by Richard Loncraine. Both productions shift the scene to modern times, and despite my prejudice about tinkering with the Bard, I liked both, in part because Fiennes is a fine Coriolanus and Ian McKellen a better than fine Richard. It's modern Rome, besieged by angry citizens whose leader is Gerard Butler's Aufidius, longtime enemy of Coriolanus. When the haughty, anti-commoner Coriolanus is banished from Rome, he joins up with his old enemy to turn on Rome. It seems like a perfect alliance until Coriolanus's formidable mother, Volumnia, played by Vanessa Redgrave, and his wife, VIrgilia, played by Jessica Chastain, confront him. To see the four leads on the screen, along with the reliable Brian Cox as Menenius, is to witness the best of cinema acting, although Redgrave dominates as she pleads, cajoles, and finesses her son to speak gently to the commoners and to compromise the siege. There is something static about the filming, perhaps because Fiennes sees it in its Shakespearean form and himself as a theatrical performer. "Static" even though Fiennes relies on MTV-like quick cuts to enhance the action and perhaps mitigate the elegant prose for regular film goers. The contemporary thematic parallels with the play are obvious: the puzzle that still is the Balkans, or Iraq and Iran for that matter, with families pitted against each other, the citizenry versus the military, and power another deal away. But the play's the thing, and no matter how much gifted director and adapter play with the original, Shakespeare is always there with stunning dialogue, deep characterization, and humanity still crazy after all these years.

• Josh M

  
  Ralph Fiennes' Coriolanus is one of a small handful of fresh and successful filmed Shakespeare. It's a very dark and cold tale to begin with and there aren't many characters to love or soliloquies that are quoted and cherished, so it's not for everybody.… More
  Ralph Fiennes' Coriolanus is one of a small handful of fresh and successful filmed Shakespeare. It's a very dark and cold tale to begin with and there aren't many characters to love or soliloquies that are quoted and cherished, so it's not for everybody. Fiennes has organically transplanted the story in to the modern mass media world, and vaguely made a 'Rome' out of modern day Serbia and it feels right. The expositional and Greek chorus stuff is covered by talking CNN type heads instead of sentries and townspeople and it works very well. It's similar to the Ethan Hawke contemporary Hamlet from the nineties as well as the Baz Luhrman Romeo and Juliet that makes the contemporary atmosphere work to the favor of the story. The film is full of action and violence and it's shot with verve. The entire cast is flawless, Fiennes plays an unsympathetic Coriolanus with restraint and anger (very similar to his Schindler's list Nazi). Vanessa Redgrave as his militaristic mother Volumnia gives her most commanding and mesmerizing performance in a decade, she is spectacular. Scottish action superstar Gerard Butler was a revelation as rival warrior Aufidius, he handles the iambic pentameter beautifully and he can match Fiennes blow for blow in screen presence. Jessica Chastain acquits herself well as Fiennes long suffering wife. The film does honor to Shakespeare, and is true to the play. However, it's one of Shakespeare's least appealing plays to a wide audience. It's about politics, the will of the people, misuse of power, all told with a uncompromising bleakness. Twelfth Night has more laughs and poetry. Heck, King Lear has more laughs than this one. And Julie Taymor's Titus has more visual kick. But on the filmed Shakespeare top ten films list, this one might just squeak in.

• Nate Z

  
  William Shakespeare's little-known play has a surprising amount of cultural relevance: attacks on the border, suspension of civil liberties, political scheming, populist uprisings and riots, and a military elite arguing against the principles of appealing to the uneducated,… More
  William Shakespeare's little-known play has a surprising amount of cultural relevance: attacks on the border, suspension of civil liberties, political scheming, populist uprisings and riots, and a military elite arguing against the principles of appealing to the uneducated, mob-ruled masses. Plus Ralph Fiennes, taking on the hat of director for the first time, sets the play in modern-day. It seems like a struggle between Scotland and England, judging from the two mortal enemies, Coriolanus (Fiennes) and Tulius Aufidus (Gerard Butler). So it's the Scotland/England struggle, termed ancient Rome, but set in what looks like the war-ravaged Balkans. Hey, at least Fiennes gets to have a nose in this film. The Shakespearean verbiage is certainly beautiful to hear, especially coming from the mouths of excellent thespians, notably Fiennes, Brian Cox, and Vanessa Redgrave. The actors achieve that synergetic level of excellence where it feels like they were always meant for the parts. Butler acquits himself well though his character sort of disappears unless needed by the plot. The elements that work best reside in Coriolanus' refusal to play the game of political optics, neither serving a crowd of ignorant peasants he feels should remain out of the political process or the wily, double-crossing, self-serving politicians inflaming populist unrest. The movie sets itself up for some serious wrath to befall Rome, and besides the Greeks (and Koreans), nobody does revenge like this guy Shakespeare. We're chomping at the bit for a cataclysm of death, but then the plot just sort of skips to a hasty conclusion, ditching the wrath. It makes you realize that, except for the intriguing title character, this isn't one of the bard's better plays. The characters are hard to empathize with, their conflicts too repetitive without deeper insight, and an ending that would be best described as a bit of a rush job. Still, even Shakespeare's lesser work towers above most writers' best material. Fiennes does a fine job as director, choosing lots of disorienting close-ups to communicate the rage of his character. Coriolanus is an interesting stab at something more, it's just that sometimes it swings and misses. Nste's Grade: B

• Greg S

  
  Coriolanus becomes a Roman war hero, then is pushed to become consul but isinstead banished for his anti-plebian rhetoric; he joins up with the Roman's enemies and leads an army against the city. Suprisingly, this is the only feature film treatment to date of this second tier… More
  Coriolanus becomes a Roman war hero, then is pushed to become consul but isinstead banished for his anti-plebian rhetoric; he joins up with the Roman's enemies and leads an army against the city. Suprisingly, this is the only feature film treatment to date of this second tier Shakespeare play. Ralph Fiennes gives a proud and dangerous performance in the lead role. The decision to update the action to modern times while leaving the text the same doesn't automatically create contemporary relevance, but it does elicit some chuckles due to the use of CNN-style news updates and panel discussions seen throughout.

• Debbie E

  
  Redgrave. Brilliant. 'Mommy Dearest' doesn' t come close! Missing 5th star is for the overzealous gore and often unintelligible language.

• Walter M

  
  "Coriolanus" starts with the native Romans getting restless about food shortages. General Martius(Ralph Fiennes, who also directs) suspends civil liberties in response, even putting in a personal appearance before his troops put in the full beatdown. Meanwhile, an external… More
  "Coriolanus" starts with the native Romans getting restless about food shortages. General Martius(Ralph Fiennes, who also directs) suspends civil liberties in response, even putting in a personal appearance before his troops put in the full beatdown. Meanwhile, an external threat materializes in neighboring Volscia in the person of Aufidius(Gerard Butler), Martius' old enemy. While Martius is taking care of that problem and earning himself a promotion in the process, Senator Menenius(Brian Cox) pays a visit to Martius' mother(Vanessa Redgrave) and wife(Jessica Chastain). Even though it may at first seem like a return to the good old days when generals led their troops into battle, with this production of "Coriolanus," Ralph Fiennes does an excellent job of bringing Shakespeare kicking and screaming to relevance in the present day that goes beyond the eponymous character running afoul of Clausterwitz's famous dictum that "War is the continuation of policy by other means." Filming in a former war zone helps, as the opening protests bring to mind recent similar protests in Europe(note the faces, even though Shakespeare was never one for the common person) but the movie loses some of its punch as it goes on. Even then, the story's momentum continues through its memorable finale, thanks in large part to the superb performances from Vanessa Redgrave and Ralph Fiennes.

• Eric H

  
  The concept of staying faithful to a Shakespearean text is antithetic to film-making yet most film-makers insist on such reverence when tackling the bard. The language in Shakespeare's work is indeed beautiful but it's the stories themselves that form his legacy. If… More
  The concept of staying faithful to a Shakespearean text is antithetic to film-making yet most film-makers insist on such reverence when tackling the bard. The language in Shakespeare's work is indeed beautiful but it's the stories themselves that form his legacy. If film-makers focused on just adapting the stories well rather than pedantically quoting the dialogue then Shakespeare's IMDB page would read a lot better. All the classics have been taken already so Fiennes is stuck with one of the lesser known of the writer's plays, the tale of an excommunicated Roman General who returns for revenge. The reason we haven't seen this on screen before is because it's simply not a very good story, there's little dramatic meat here. Fiennes relocates it to an alternate Rome which resembles the contemporary Balkans and shoots it like a "Call Of Duty" video game. Personally I would have found the original setting of ancient Rome more visually interesting. Despite the presence of Gerard Butler the well-assembled cast are superb, Redgrave especially as Fiennes' psychotic mother. Chastain has given more great performances in the last year alone than most actresses will in a lifetime and here she performs with a confidence that is often lacking in American thesps when tackling this material. Many actors have turned their hand to directing and been found lacking, Fiennes is but the latest.

• Cameron J

  
  With all of the corruption, incest, soliloquies on the glory of death, visions of restless spirits, wife and child murders, the horrors of war and mutual suicides between lovers, people forget that Shakespeare got pretty hardcore with his stories. Seriously though, ol'… More
  With all of the corruption, incest, soliloquies on the glory of death, visions of restless spirits, wife and child murders, the horrors of war and mutual suicides between lovers, people forget that Shakespeare got pretty hardcore with his stories. Seriously though, ol' Shake-a-speare wasn't shy on brutality, and this tale was no different, and yet, somewhere along the way, it got lost in his piles and piles of his accomplishments, but who better to bring another one of Shakespeare's brutal visions of corruption to life than Ray Fiennes? I'm just gonna go ahead and spell his name the way it's pronounced, because, really, how many awesome, hardcore dudes can you think of with the name Ralph? I think he should just go ahead and change his name to Iconic Villain Petersen II, because if you have some kind of crazy bad guy that you want to get popularized, then you need to get a hold of this guy. All you have to do is defeat him three times, then infiltrate a magic tournament, ambush and kidnap the only person who survived an instant kill spell and throw a few drops of that person's blood into a cauldron in the middle of a graveyard; it's as simple as that. Just make sure that no little fat geek of a tertiary character comes in and saves the day, instead of one of lead characters that we had been centering on for eight, long films and ten, long years. Man, the last "Harry Potter" ticked me off, but I still really dug it, certainly more than I dug this film, which isn't to say that this film isn't good, but it is to say that it's certainly with its own missteps. As with many Shakespeare classics, we're looking a larger-than-life leads that face limited exposition, though few adaptations have made you realize that as much as this film. Investment is claimed later on, yet right away, development lapses and goes rather rushed, yet isn't the only thing that feels rather rushed. Now, the rushing isn't even mildly on a level of "The Iron Lady", where almost everything that's significant is literally told through montage, after montage, after montage, after montage ("The Iron Lady" covers the youth, entire career and old age of Margaret Thatcher, and yet it's shorter than this film that just barely runs two hours; that should tell you how messy that film was), yet there are still points where you feel as though they could have dropped a bit more meditation of exposition, even after the not-always-smooth development segment. Still, all of those flaws come and go, yet are always less prominent than the slowness, while what truly keeps this film from being excellent is this constant and this constant alone: It's just not "that" excellent. Shakespeare adaptations directed, written and lead onscreen by a true respecter have had a history of really hitting, yet this is just simply not another Branagh's "Hamlet", which is one, big, piece of evidence that you most certainly don't have to rush spots in a Shakespeare story for it to work. Four hours of mostly dialogue and under 9 different settings, it better work. Anyways, the point is that this film is not one to quickly evoke when looking through the most notable Shakespeare adaptations, yet neither is it an adaptation that can be easily lost in the long haul, not just because it really is the first and only major adaptation of this obscure Shakespeare piece and stars Lord Voldemort and Leonidas, but because what Fiennes nails, he really delivers on. Action only comes into play here and there, yet when it does hit the scene, it's hard to not be excited, not because it's awesomely over-the-top, but because it's smart. Don't get me wrong, the action is cool, yet it's not simply looking to blow your mind; only to twist your nerves, and in that regard, Fiennes delivers as director so sharply that even a scene in which Coriolanus takes a drink of water has you on the edge of your seat, and while the action isn't terribly prominent, it wakes you up. The same can be said about Ilan Eshkeri's score, which is neither heavily exposed nor terribly stellar, for that matter, yet it's intense and sets tone that really engages you in the film for every moment it does something that knocks you out of it. That kind of stuff really kicks you awake, yet it's not always there forever, unlike Ralph (Oh, forget it) Fiennes' atmosphere, which isn't terribly intense or enthralling, yet it is engaging and constant enough for you to stay attached to the story, regardless of its missteps, as it manages to mix its classic Shakespearean tension and contemporary relevance to create a kind of striking sense of intrigue that progressively intensifies, little by little, and keeps you going, maybe not always, but enough for you to walk away more satisfied than not with the picture. For that, we have to give credit to, not only Ralph Fiennes, but Ralph Fiennes, as well as his fellow onscreen performers. Okay, now, I wouldn't consider most of performances really killer, yet every performance is quite good and effective in the context of the story, whether it be Vanessa Redgrave as Coriolanus' uneasing mother, Jessica Chastain (Yeah, we haven't seen her in a while) as Coriolanus' fearing wife or Gerard Butler as Coriolanus' equal opponent and, later, partner in corruption. Yes people, do not that I am emphasizing how everything leads back to the Gaius Marcius Coriolanus character, because, as the title would suggest, this is his show, just like it's Ralph Fiennes' show, something Fiennes doesn't let forget offscreen and most certainly doesn't let you forget while he's on the camera, as he delivers what it easily the best performance of the film, portraying this brilliant hero's corruption and fall from grace with subtlety and, well, grace, emphasizing the brutality and scarring that, when mixed with power and controversy, all but totally prevails over the genius of our lead, and the way Fiennes portrays this classic Shakespeare tale of tragedy, both onscreen and off, really makes this film worth watching. In closing, this adaptation of Shakespeare is not among the most notable, and not just because of the spots in storytelling, as well as the constant slowness, yet what makes this film an enjoyable piece in the Shakespeare haul is Ralph Fiennes constant atmosphere of ever-intensifying intrigue - broken up by heavy tension, summoned by solid action and a sharp score -, supplemented by across-the-board effective performances, with Fiennes' as this great leader crushing under the weight of corruption being the most upstanding, ultimately leaving "Coriolanus" to stand as both a generally rewarding exposing of one of Shakespeare's most obscure classics, as well as Ralph Fiennes filmmaking abilities. 3/5 - Good

• Philip P

  
  It is really amazing how intense Ralph Fiennes can get and how he can make even you as an audience member feel puny and as if youâ(TM)ve crossed him. As Caius Martius Coriolanus in his directorial debut Fiennes plays the Roman general who is at one point poised for greatness and the… More
  It is really amazing how intense Ralph Fiennes can get and how he can make even you as an audience member feel puny and as if youâ(TM)ve crossed him. As Caius Martius Coriolanus in his directorial debut Fiennes plays the Roman general who is at one point poised for greatness and the next being opposed by the rioters in the street who were whipped up by Brutus (a brilliant James Nesbitt) and Sicinius (Paul Jesson) into not supporting him. This is a strict translation of the Shakespeare play that was believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608 and was based on the tragic life of the Roman leader of the same name. Fiennes has set his version in a more modern world where it is almost hard to decipher between the fact this is a fabrication of history made long ago and not an interpretation of what is going on over seas. Unlike all those films from a few years ago that attempted to depict America in its workings with Iraq and Iran though this is still based in Rome it simply shows how relevant and similar that what was happening then is in many ways still going on. It some ways it shows how little we have evolved from our ancestors while displaying a central character who seems so tyrannical we can only feel relieved to live in a country where the gap between the common man and those isn't as wide, or at least as wide as Coriolanus lets it be known. Like Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of 'Romeo & Juliet" this telling updates the setting while leaving the language intact. This makes it somewhat harder to follow for the modern movie-goer but Fiennes has surrounded himself with such a great supporting cast and a stellar performance himself we decipher what they are saying by the passion in their acting. Before hearing about this film, "Coriolanus" was one of Shakespeare's plays I had not heard of. While it may be one of his lesser known pieces it certainly contains many of the elements and themes that are present in his more popular plays. Coriolanus is a general, not yet a ruler, but he denounced those in the general public and those who he feels have a lack of military service. In the tense and well choreographed opening battles of the film Coriolanus leads his men to siege the city of Corioles. They are able to force open the gates of the city, and conquer it. Even after this, Coriolanus finds his fellow general and aids in fighting the Volscian force. The commander of the Volscian army is Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler) a bloody enemy of Coriolanus's. They meet in combat and are only both left alive by the sheer intensity of their fight and the fact their fellow soldiers drag them away from the battle. Upon his return from battle Coriolanus is persuaded by his mother Volumnia (Vanessa Redgrave in a great performance) to run for Consul which he is usually hesitant to do, but decides to give it a try on his mothers suggestion. Coriolanus also returns to a wife, Virgilia (Jessica Chastain) and a son. In his attempt to win a place on the consul he easily wins over his peers on the Roman council but when it appears he has also won over the commoners is that moment Brutus and Sicinius turn the tide and have Coriolanus exiled instead. The way in which Fiennes has translated this to modern day works for the majority of the film, but it was in this scene that it felt the most unnatural. That it could not simply be spoken for a man of his stature to be exiled but more would have to go into it, a formal hearing at the least rather than a talk show discussion. Fiennes knows how to take your attention off such aspects though as he delivers Shakespeare's words with such violent vigor that when he speaks such lines that translate as, "it is he who banishes Rome from his presence." We realize the level at which he sees himself and the betrayal he no doubt feels from everyone around him. In seeking revenge on the city he fought for that has outcast him he seeks out Aufidius and offers to let Aufidius kill him in order to spite the country that banished him. Butler has, since his breakout "300" role chosen hits and misses to elevate his career but in 2011 seemed to re-evaluate his choices and takes a turn not only for the more credible here but with a limited amount of screen time turns in a performance that elicits all of the correct characteristics we should feel for Aufidius. He is moved by Coriolanus's plight and honored to fight alongside the great general, they embrace Coriolanus, and allow him to lead a new assault on his former city. It ends up being a tale of vengeance that goes unfulfilled but it is the way with which Fiennes approaches the material that makes it so much more than watching a bunch of good actors recite old English. The handy cam that invades each characters space as if literally trying to get inside their head allows those not able to keep up with the language an alternative way to understand the story and the conflict that is going on on screen. Fiennes, as I mentioned earlier, also has the knowledge to fill his cast with capable actors that can translate this material as if it were natural. Both Redgrave as the domineering mother and the always fantastic Chastain give performances that create a subliminal dynamic of why Coriolanus has become the man he is and what he could be. Brian Cox should also be noted as giving a stellar performance as Menenius, the only man in Coriolanus's corner with some of the juiciest lines. This combination of tragedy and gore with the elegance of Shakespearean language creates a relevant message with an age old tale. The best thing about "Coriolanus" though is that it feels right. It feels like it fits and for being the first project Fiennes took on as a director it feels exceptionally grand. He relies sometimes a little too heavily on the news highlights to relate the main story points to those in the audience who may feel a little lost, but that is understandable. He has created an overall tone though that feels like something Shakespeare himself would love and feels represents his story correctly. Even if you cannot understand the language all the time it consistently has an electric tone. There is something urgent about it, something that helps us understand the theme and meanings Shakespeare was trying to point out in a world that suffers many of the same problems. A leader who is raised to believe he is of a special breed, a fascist that has the nerve to be so easily influenced by a mother that can bend him any which way she pleases. It is so engaging dramatically I was left wonder why more of Shakespeare's plays are not attempted to be modernized and translated to the big screen. It is a concept rich with possibilities and as "Coriolanus" shows great possible outcomes. Though it was only in limited release here in the U.S. and will be making its way to the rental shelves no doubt sooner than it should this is a visually and dramatically arresting drama that deserves to be seen and serves as a great jumping off point for Fiennes in his directing career. I can only wonder what his next project might be and hope with great anticipation that it is as fulfilling as his first.

• Alec B

  
  I can see why its a Shakespeare play that isn't done very often (the dilemma of the central character is difficult to articulate), but Ralph Fiennes has constructed a solid adaptation of 'Coriolanus'. The modern day setting works better than I thought as it… More
  I can see why its a Shakespeare play that isn't done very often (the dilemma of the central character is difficult to articulate), but Ralph Fiennes has constructed a solid adaptation of 'Coriolanus'. The modern day setting works better than I thought as it appropriately invokes images and memories of the Yugoslav Wars that occurred in the 90s. Its also got some really solid acting work from the whole cast. Towards the end of the film, Vanessa Redgrave has a scene (you'll know it when you see it) that probably is some of the best work she's ever done, and thats really saying something.

• hawk l

  
  Great story and cast though Shakespearean dialect in a modern day setting lessens the impact.

• ernest e

  
  This was nicely done and well performed and shakespeare did not ruin the better aspects of this movie. No matter how you package it, shakespeare is fish and chips way of bad poetry and shows why england is most sexually repressed country I have ever been.

Read all 14 featured audience ratings