Making his debut as a film director, Ralph Fiennes brings Coriolanus, a role he triumphed on stage with, to the big screen. One of Shakespeare's most visceral plays, Coriolanus has never been adapted for a cinema audience before.

Almost unrecognisable in fatigues and covered in tattoos, Fiennes is Caius Martius Coriolanus, a revered and feared Roman general who is at odds with the city of Rome and his fellow citizens. Pushed by his controlling and ambitious mother Volumnia (a steely Vanessa Redgrave) to seek the exalted and powerful position of Consul, he is loath to ingratiate himself with the masses whose votes he needs in order to secure the office. When the public refuse to support him, Coriolanus's anger prompts a riot which culminates in his expulsion from Rome. The banished hero then allies himself with his sworn enemy Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler) to take his revenge on the city.

Shot by Hurt Locker cinematographer Barry Ackroyd, Coriolanus succeeds in making the Bard's words seem fresh and current. The supporting cast includes Jessica Chastain (The Tree of Life) and Dundee's own wonderful Brian Cox, who makes iambic pentameter seem like everyday speech. This is a film which has a good chance of succeeding where many have failed and bringing the Bard to a whole new audience. Forget Sparta, this is Shakespeare!