Streaming subscriptions can add up to be quite expensive, whether it’s Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime or all three, you can quickly see a big chunk coming out of your bank account so that you can find a film on a Friday night. But while they all have some great films available, BBC iPlayer has a hidden gem of a war film, complete with an all-star cast that is ready to stream for free.
In a modern retelling of a Shakespeare classic, the award-winning Ralph Fines directs and stars in 2012’s Coriolanus. The story follows General Caius Martius, a ruthless and battle-hardened soldier who earns the title “Coriolanus” after a brutal victory against Rome’s enemies. After the victory, he finds himself being pushed into political power, but when his true feelings come out, he is exiled, where he rejoins with his former enemy to take down Rome for good. The film’s modern setting, complete with guns and 21st-century warfare, comes together to create something completely unique.
The film is decked out with some big names, Fiennes plays the lead but sees support from a stellar performance by Gerard Butler, along with the great performances from Succession’s Brian Cox and Jessica Chastain.
After its release more than a decade ago, it has been a hit with critics, scooping a “certified fresh” score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. One of the site’s critics who gave it a five out of five rating wrote: ” I would say it is a masterpiece. I wasn’t expecting Shakespeare dialogue. I was taken aback, then delighted. Butler absolutely terrified me with one of his warrior speeches.
“They say war is hell, which I’ve understood in terms of carnage, injury and death; even seeing one’s friends perish. But Butler then personified the statement ‘war is hell’ in his terrifying rage and desire for vengeance in his speech.”
Although it should be noted that the film failed to land as successfully with audiences, who scored the website at a much more modest 58%.
The main critique from audiences comes from its use of the original Shakespearean dialogue, which at times is understandably hard to follow.
In some other adaptations, such as Leonardo DiCaprio’s Romeo + Juliet, this can be easier to follow as you’ll likely already know the plot. This was touched on by one Rotten Tomatoes reviewer who wrote: “The reason audience scores are lower is that most cannot understand the content and its relevance to modernity.
“This is a great adaptation of Coriolanus. A play by Shakespeare that is not as widely known to the public at large but is still relevant. There is no denying that this film brings the story to a modern era unflinchingly and with powerful performances.”
The film is available to stream for free online via BBC iPlayer.