Release: Coriolanus

 

Coriolanus

Genre: Historical/Epic

Director: David Lowery

Writer: Jimmy Ellis

Based on the play by William Shakespeare

Cast: Alexander Skarsgard, Ben Foster, Jason Isaacs, Barry Keoghan, Rose Leslie, David Morrissey, Stephen McHattie, Damian Lewis, Rene Russo

Budget: $75,000,000

Domestic Box Office: $39,289,444

Foreign Box Office: $72,333,204

Total Profit: -$27,999,129

Reaction: It was probably too much to hope for to have two financially successful Shakespeare adaptations in one season. This one cost a little more and grossed a little less than Macbeth did, which resulted in the losses here.

"David Lowery’s 'Coriolanus' transforms Shakespeare’s brutal Roman tragedy into an earthy, introspective epic. Alexander Skarsgard delivers a fierce, wounded performance as the proud general undone by politics and pride, while Ben Foster’s Tullus Aufidius seethes with restrained menace. Lowery’s direction blends mythic with realism, framing ancient power struggles in poetic, painterly imagery. The film occasionally succumbs to its own austerity, its deliberate pacing and stoic tone can feel remote, yet its emotional nuance, especially through Rene Russo’s formidable Volumnia, gives it soul. 'Coriolanus' is intelligent, and unflinchingly tragic." - Shawn Moseby, Fresno Bee 

"David Lowery’s Coriolanus is a haunting, austere adaptation of Shakespeare’s underappreciated tragedy, delivered with painterly dread and political intensity. Alexander Skarsgård is magnetic as the brooding war hero turned exile, embodying both stoic nobility and dangerous pride, while Ben Foster’s Aufidius simmers with controlled menace. Lowery’s signature visual lyricism finds a stark, brutal beauty in the film’s ancient battlefields and candlelit Senate chambers. The film's slow pacing may test viewers expecting conventional thrills, but what they do get is visually intriguing and rich." - Sandy Glavine, Atlanta Constitution-Journal 

"As gorgeously composed as it is dramatically uneven, Coriolanus feels more like an exquisitely curated museum piece than a fully alive film. Skarsgård looks the part but his internal struggle rarely pierces the marble-like stoicism he’s buried under. David Lowery directs with solemn ambition, but the film’s refusal to modernize the political urgency or provide emotional stakes beyond stiff speeches renders it more inert than moving. It’s a noble failure — a well-crafted dirge that forgets to bleed." - Perry Manson, CinemaBlend.com

Rated R for violence, sexual content/nudity, and thematic material.