2012 will see a tale of hunger, revolt and betrayal hit our screens, starring Gerard Butler (‘Law Abiding Citizen’), academy award winner Vanessa Redgrave, Brian Cox (‘Rise of the Planet Apes’) and James Nesbitt (‘Murphy’s Law’ TV series).
The film, taken from the 17th century Shakespeare play of the same name, also stars Ralph Fiennes who directs the Roman tale, set amidst mass revolt. Riots run wild in Rome, as its inhabitants cannot afford to eat in the midst of a war with the neighboring state of Volscian. Their rage turns toward Caius Martius (Fiennes), later renamed Coriolanus, who is the nation’s foremost general but despises his own people. Their anger is quelled when Caius’s gallantly wins the battle against his sworn enemy, Tullus Aufidius (Butler), who is the leader of the Volsces and this is when Caius is honoured with his new name, Coriolanus.
Coriolanus’s mother Volumnia (Redgrave) has reared her son with a martial code of honor and anticipating her son’s election to a ruling position in the Roman senate, she implores him to ingratiate himself with the people in order to win. The great warrior sees those tactics as superficial but under pressure he gives in. However, proceedings go awry when the elected representatives (The Tribunes) persuade the masses that they should refuse him the office of Consul, resulting in another national riot fuelled by Coriolanus’s enraged words. He is banished and alone he goes to the city of Antium, the Volscian capital and home of his enemy. Confronted by the lone warrior, Tullus must decide whether to accept Coriolanus and seize the opportunity to defeat an Empire, or to destroy his life-long rival and try to take Rome alone, while in its most vulnerable state…
Coriolanus is set for release in January 2012.
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