The role of King Lear has become a virtual rite of passage for actors of a certain distinction and vintage. Over the past 20 years, I’ve seen Shakespeare’s ravaged monarch tackled by Christopher Walken, Frank Langella, John Lithgow, Kevin Kline, and Glenda Jackson, among others. So it’s hardly surprising that Kenneth Branagh, the British stage and screen star known for his affinity for and devotion to the Bard as both an actor and director, would get around to the task.