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Coriolanus is a 2011 film adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy Coriolanus. It is directed and produced by Ralph Fiennes in his directorial debut, who also stars as the title character, with Gerard Butler as Tullus Aufidius, Vanessa Redgrave as Volumnia, Brian Cox as Menenius, and Jessica Chastain as Virgilia. It places Shakespeare's original text and plot into a contemporary, pseudo-Balkan setting (filmed in Serbia and Montenegro), reminiscent of the Yugoslav Wars.
The film premiered at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Golden Bear, before being released in the United Kingdom and United States on January 20, 2012. It received positive reviews from critics, with Fiennes nominated for the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut.
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Plot
In an unknown Balkan city-state – "a place that calls itself Rome" – riots are in progress after stores of grain are withheld from citizens and civil liberties are reduced due to a war between Rome and neighbouring Volsci. The rioters are particularly angry at Caius Martius, a brilliant Roman general whom they blame for the city's problems. During a march, the rioters encounter Martius, who is openly contemptuous and does not hide his low opinion of the regular citizens. The commander of the Volscian army, Tullus Aufidius, who has fought Martius on several occasions and considers him a mortal enemy, swears that the next time they meet in battle will be the last. Martius leads a raid against the Volscian city of Corioles; much of Martius's unit is killed, but he gathers reinforcements and the Romans take the city. After the battle, Martius and Aufidius meet in single combat, which results in both men being wounded but ends when Aufidius's soldiers drag him away from the fight.
