Lady Macbeth Movie Review

Lady Macbeth (2016)

Rent Lady Macbeth on Amazon Video // Read the book
Written by: Nikolai Leskov (based on Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk), Alice Birch
Directed by: William Oldroyd
Starring: Florence Pugh, Cosmo Jarvis, Paul Hilton
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
Stifled by her arranged marriage to a middle-aged husband, young Victorian wife Katherine begins an affair with a worker on the family estate. When scandal erupts, she's prepared to take drastic steps to continue their illicit liaison.

Verdict
This is brutal. Katherine is unhappy with life and finds a way to escape, though we discover she's a psychopath in the process. So many movies allow the protagonist to be a killer and revere them. This movie deconstructs that. Those closest to Katherine fear her. With this being a period piece, as a woman Katherine doesn't have any options to change her life so when she finds an opportunity, she seizes it, bowling over anyone in her way.
It depends.

Review
I haven't seen many movies with a female protagonist going to almost any length to ensure her way of life. While this movie is sympathetic to Katherine, just as easily could be portrayed as a villain.

This has undertones of female empowerment, but Katherine isn't interested in protecting females as much as she's concerned about herself. She links with Sebastian, a guy that isn't all that good. He tormented and tortured one of the maids. Katherine finds him interesting because he's something different. She's in a loveless marriage, and he offers and escape even if he isn't her first choice.

The marriage is odd. We can tell very quickly this marriage isn't her choice. Her husbands spares no kindness for her, and while I assume he could have his way with her, he prefers to just watch her. Why does he not want to sleep with her?

Katherine seizes the opportunity to upend her life, because anything is better than being in a loveless marriage with a father in law that hates everyone. When she sees her little adventure coming to a close, she will not let that happen. She's brutal. She's a sociopath.

Her maid is traumatized, and eventually even Sebastian breaks down, scared of Katherine. He had all this bravado, but it was just a front. With this being a period piece, Katherine is severely restricted in living the life she wants to live, but the lengths she goes are stunning.

So often in movies we see a psychopath and assume it's normal, but this provides a realistic take. Everyone around Katherine is frightened of her. This takes a twist at the end, though I don't think it was premeditated. Katherine is opportunistic and saw a way out.