Othello (2015)

Othello is a 2015 drama film based on William Shakespeare's play of the same name. The film stars Idris Elba in title role, with Emily Blunt as Desdemona and Cillian Murphy as Iago among others.

Plot
Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army, promotes the florentine Michael Cassio to be his lieutenant over his ensign Iago. Iago, enraged by this, hatches a plot to extract revenge on them. He teams up with Roderigo, a wealthy merchant who is in love with Desdemona, the daughter of Brabantio, a Venetian senator. However, Othello has eloped with Desdemona, and the two are planning to visit Cyprus to celebrate.

Iago has Roderigo wake up Brabantio in the middle of the night to tell him of the marriage. Iago slips away to warn Othello, when he is really manipulating both sides. He finds Othello in a meeting with the other senators of Venice. Brabantio arrives and attacks Othello, who fights him off after a brief sword fight. Brabantio challenges Othello before the senators, claiming that Othello seduced Desdemona through witchcraft. Othello successfully defends himself by giving a moving speech about how Desdemona fell in love with him because of the stories he told, not through any witchcraft. The Duke of Venice takes Othello's side and dismisses Brabantio.

Othello then leaves for Cyprus, accompanied by Desdemona, Cassio and Iago, who persuades Roderigo to follow him. There is a great feast held in celebration of their marriage, after which Othello and Desdemona slip away to make love. Iago offers Cassio some wine, but Cassio refuses as he can't hold his drink. Iago pressures him to do so, as part of his plan to get Cassio drunk, and then provokes him into attacking senator Montano. Othello is forced to leave Desdemona to deal with the disturbance. When he learns that Cassio was responsible, he suspends him as his lieutenant.

Iago tells Cassio to get Desdemona to convince Othello to reinstate him. He also seduces Desdemona's lady-in-waiting and best friend Emilia to further manipulate the situation. He has her steal Desdemona's handkerchief for him; the handkerchief was given to her by Othello as his first gift. Emilia gives it to Iago, but is unaware of what he plans to use it for. Iago plants it in Cassio's lodgings and begins to plant seeds in Othello's mind, leading him to the conclusion that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair.

Iago lures Cassio into a meeting with him, while Othello hides nearby and watches Cassio. Iago tells Othello that he will ask Cassio about the handkerchief, but he instead questions him about Bianca, a local prostitute he has been spending time with. Othello thinks they are talking about Desdemona, further convincing him of the affair. Bianca arrives shortly therafter, having found the handkerchief and thinks it's for her. While she berates Cassio for giving her a second hand gift, Othello sees that Cassio had the handkerchief.

His suspicions seemingly confirmed, Othello resolves that both Desdemona and Cassio must die. Iago agrees to kill Cassio, while Othello will kill Desdemona. After swearing a blood oath, the two men learn that some Venetian nobles, Lodovico and Gratiano, have arrived in Cyprus. During their meeting, Othello learns that he has been summoned back to Venice. He agrees to depart the following day. When Desdemona greets the nobles, Othello lashes out and hits her in front of them.

Iago is confronted by Roderigo, who is upset that nothing has come of his coming to Cyprus. He threatens to go to Desdemona, wanting to tell her how he feels, but Iago avoids disaster by persuading Roderigo to kill Cassio for him. As night falls, they wait outside of Bianca's house, while Cassio sleeps with her inside. When he departs, Roderigo ambushes him and Iago watches from the shadows. After a brief struggle, Iago sees his chance and tries to stab Cassio, but he steps forward at the last second and Iago merely cuts him across the back of the leg. Cassio jerks forward in response and stabs Roderigo, who stumbles away. Iago slips away and waits as Lodovico and Gratiano discover the scene. Iago pretends to aid Cassio, who did not see him, but Cassio points out Rodergio, who is crawling away nearby. Iago quietly stabs Roderigo in the heart, then claims that Cassio killed him in battle. Bianca arrives to see what all the noise is about, but Cassio bleeds to death in her arms. Iago accuses Bianca of conspiring with Roderigo to kill Cassio, and has Lodovico and Gratiano take her away. Iago leaves to tell Othello what has happened to Cassio.

Meanwhile, Othello watches Desdemona sleep and prays for forgiveness. He kisses her, but she wakes up. Othello apologizes for his previous behaviour. They make up and Othello crawls onto the bed next to her. They begin kissing and are about to have sex, when Othello suddenly plunges a dagger into her chest. With her final breaths, Desdemona tells Othello that she still loves him. Emilia enters and discovers the scene. Othello tries to justify his actions, telling Emilia about the affair. When she learns of the handkerchief, Emilia finally sees that Iago has been manipulating her, just as he arrives. Before she has the chance to reveal everything, Iago kills her by snapping her neck. He reasons with Othello that she would have revealed their plot to the authorities, and then warns Othello that they will be on their way. Iago then declares that the only chance they have of avoiding punishment for their crimes is death.

Othello agrees and pulls the dagger from Desdemona's chest. Iago takes out his own, but merely pretends to stab himself. Othello self-inflicts a fatal wound, and watches Iago throw his dagger aside. He finally sees that Iago has been manipulating him and asks him why he did it, but Iago refuses to answer. When the other noblemen arrive, they are horrified by what they find. Othello crawls onto the bed and lies down next to his wife, then dies. Lodovico then appoints Iago to be Othello's successor, and Iago feigns sadness that he will now have to inform those in Venice of these events. As he exits, a wicked smile spreads across his face, and the film ends.