Cymbeline (also known as Anarchy) is a 2014 American crime thriller film written, produced, and directed by Michael Almereyda, based on the play of the same name by William Shakespeare. The film stars Ethan Hawke, Ed Harris, Milla Jovovich, John Leguizamo, and Dakota Johnson.
Set in a gritty, contemporary American landscape, the film follows the story of Cymbeline, the leader of a powerful biker gang, as he navigates internal strife, love, betrayal, and political conflict. Cymbeline’s daughter, Imogen, has secretly married her love, Posthumus, against her father's wishes. When Cymbeline finds out, he banishes Posthumus. Driven by jealousy, Posthumus accepts a challenge from a scheming friend, Iachimo, who claims he can seduce Imogen to prove her infidelity. Meanwhile, Cymbeline's wife plots to secure power by having her son, Cloten, marry Imogen, creating further tension and betrayal within the family.
Tropes:
- All Bikers Are Hells Angels: Cymbeline is a drug kingpin who rules his bike gang, the Britons, with an iron fist and a large arsenal. He dotes upon his alluring Queen, who encourages him to defy a "tribute" from the Roman Police Force, there by setting a deadly turf war into motion.
- Back-Alley Doctor: Queen gets her poisons and drugs from Dr. Cornelius, who is actually a veterinarian.
- Coincidental Broadcast: Belarius is buying beer at a gas station when he sees a news broadcast stating that Cymbeline is at large.
- Duct Tape for Everything: After the Britons capture Posthumus, they secure him by duct taping him a table.
- Faking the Dead: Pisano gets Imogen to cut her arm with his knife and soak a towel with her blood so he can return to Posthumus and claim to have killed her; presenting the knife and bloody towel as evidence.
- Faux Death: Imogen is presumed dead due to the drink Pisanio gave her thinking it a restorative; Queen having given it to him thinking it a poison, but Dr. Cornelius had been suspicious of Queen and had given her sleeping pills instead of poison.
- Gangland Drive-By: The Britons try to kill Posthumus by pulling alongside him and firing into his car. Posthumus is too quick and shoots the gunman, but then surrenders to them.
- Golf Clubbing: One of Caius Lucius cops beats one of the Britons to death with a putter.
- Homemade Flamethrower: Belarius rescues Cymbeline and the Britons from the Roman Police Force wielding a flamethrower made from a propane tank with a nozzle attached.
- How We Got Here: The film starts by introducing the principals and showing some of hem in odd situations, such as Imogen disguised as boy in the back of a police car and Posthumous duct taped to a table. A caption reading 'One Week Earlier' then appears on the screen.
- Line-of-Sight Name: Implied. Imogen chooses the name "Fidele" for her male identity after looking at a Chr Guevara T-shirt.
- Off-into-the-Distance Ending: Imogen and Posthumus hop onto a motorbike and ride away from the ruins of the gang war.
- Setting Update: Cymbeline is a drug kingpin who rules his bike gang, the Britons, with an iron fist and a large arsenal. He dotes upon his alluring Queen, who encourages him to defy a "tribute" from the Roman Police Force, there by setting a deadly turf war into motion.
- Strapped to an Operating Table: Posthumus starts the movie duct taped to a stainless steel food prep table in a diner kitchen before we flash back to learn How We Got Here.
- Sweet Polly Oliver: Imogen disguises herself as a boy called Fidele with Pisanio's help, to escape the wrath of Posthumus.
- Trojan Horse: After failing to seduce Imogen, Iachimo asks her to store a trunk that supposedly contains a gift. Iachimo fears it'll be stolen, so wants it kept securely overnight. However, the story is a lie and the trunk only contains Iachimo himself, who's still looking for a way to convince Posthumus that Imogen's been unfaithful.