In an England resembling Nazi Germany, when the Lancaster king and
his heir are killed during battle by the Yorks, hunchbacked Richard (Ian
McKellen) plots a bloody and heartless play for the throne, taking the lives of
his brother and nephews as he quickly spirals into madness. Richard Loncraine’s
filming of Richard Eyre’s Shakespeare stage reworking is a cruel and violent
vision, with a fierce and towering McKellen performance and a strong supporting
cast.
*** out of ****
