Macbeth, Justin Kurzel's new cinematic take on William Shakespeare's classic tale of ambition and desire, has premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to strong reviews. The movie, a likely Oscars contender, stars Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard.

MacbethMichael Fassbender plays Macbeth in Justin Kurzel's adaptation

"There is a lot of sound and fury in this Macbeth, but not without meaning," said Peter Bradshaw of the Guardian.

"Marion Cotillard and Michael Fassbender excel in Justin Kurzel's thrillingly savage interpretation of the Scottish Play," said Guy Lodge of Variety.

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"The braw news is that Justin Kurzel - Australian director of the agreeably horrible Snowtown - has knocked together the most muscular, propulsive version yet seen," said Donald Clarke of Irish Times.

"Fassbender and Cotillard are superb in Kurzel's visionary adaptation, but it still feels a bit thin," said Gregory Ellwood of HitFix.com.

"In Kurzel's "Macbeth," the beautiful ferocity and complexity of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" is reborn, forged in iron, blood, and fire," said Jessica Kiang of The Playlist.

Michael FassbenderMichael Fassbender [L] and Marion Cotillard [R] in Macbeth

Speaking at the festival,  Fassbender said that during filming he discovered Macbeth suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.

"Never did it occur to me before this that this character was suffering from PTSD."

"You have a soldier who's engaged in battle month-after-month, day-after-day. Killing with his hands."

"Pushing a sword through muscle and bone. And if that doesn't work picking up a rock and using that."

Macbeth hits theaters in the UK on October 2 though a U.S release is likely to be announced after Cannes.

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