Hamlet

1990 "The extraordinary adaptation of Shakespeare's classic tale of vengeance and tragedy."
6.7| 2h10m| PG| en| More Info
Released: 19 December 1990 Released
Producted By: Canal+
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, finds out that his uncle Claudius killed his father to obtain the throne, and plans revenge.

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Reviews

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.
FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.
Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.
Nicole I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.
adrongardner Having just completed a review of the Branagh Hamlet, I felt it fair to offer my two cents on this one also.Shakespeare is not above criticism. Nor does a person require a Ph.D to enjoy, or even interpret his words. While the historical plays may benefit from some due diligence to flesh out the finer points, the plays were written for a colloquial Elizabethan audience who were hungry for entertainment, innovation and also a little sex and violence.Not too different from people today I think.Hamlet is a very complicated play about a conflicted, hallucinogenic kid who struggles to cope with an uneasy, perhaps immoral, relationship with his mother and the marriage of her to his uncle after the sudden death of his father. It's heavy stuff, and boy does it get heavier. All that said it can easily serve as digestible entertainment on the level of a vengeance story. There is a reason this play has lived for so long. No matter how you transform it, the song remains the same. Even if this version of the song isn't perfect, it's largely a delight to the ear and also the eye. It is also quite accessible and easy to follow. In nearly every area I demonized the selfish Branagh production, this Franco Zeffirelli one excels. The ambiance is richer and more convincing in the dank castle halls. The editing flows surprisingly well for a two hour performance. The long lensing really zeroes in on the performances. There is a wealth of context in the relationships of Hamlet with all the major players. It feels as if Zeffirelli is acutely aware of subtext and exploits it with subtlety at every turn. With some exception, the actors are all steeped in the part and not simply engaging in dry recitation. Paul Scofield is absolutely scorching as the Ghost, who may, or may not actually exist. Ian Holm as Polonius is vibrant and also sad. Helena Bonham-Carter is just about perfect for Ophelia. Glen Close too really nails her unfortunately small part. Mel Gibson? He doesn't do all that bad. You really do take Hamlet as crazy, that's for sure. But Lethal Weapon could have easily been passed over for somebody better. On the other hand, without him, the film probably wouldn't have ever been made. To be or not to be I guess.
amethystwings32 I love this movie, Mel Gibson's performance was Oscar worthy by far one of his best next to Braveheart! I haven't seen very many versions of the classic Shakespeare's play, but two. But this one surpassed the other one by far ! This is my daughters take on this movie.I have seen every one of the older versions of this play.And I can honestly say that his performance is just as good,as the men that portrayed this crazy prince in the past.Mel really made me believe that he was a mad man.He me feel sorry for him and mad at the next.If Shakespeare were alive to see him,in this play he would of loved it as much as I did. Glen Close, was great in this movie;she truly made me think that she too had gone mad.
PWNYCNY On the surface, one might reasonably conclude that Mel Gibson and Glenn Close starring in Hamlet may be some kind of joke, a parody of the Shakespeare play, but there is no joke. This movie is for real and both Mr. Gibson and Ms. Close give commanding performances in their respective roles. This movie is proof that when given quality material under excellent direction, talented actors will flourish. The rest of the cast is stellar too, but this movie squarely revolves around the two lead characters and if their performances fail, then the whole movie fails. In recent years, Mel Gibson's reputation has taken hits, but there can be no denying that he is a gifted actor and in this movie presents a novel, dynamic interpretation of Hamlet that brings new life to the character, transforming a brooding young man into a man of action who takes charge and pays the price, wherein lays the tragedy. For Hamlet is a tragedy. However, unlike previous renditions of the play, which focus on the murky and somber, this rendition is lit up, the characters are active, Gertrude is young and beautiful, all of which make the ending even more provocative and powerful. This movie should have been nominated for an Academy Award in every major category; that it wasn't is perplexing. All in all, this movie represents another triumph for Franco Zefirrelli, once again who proves that Shakespeare can be produced for the screen, if you do it right.
Framescourer There's a moment at the very end when Mel Gibson's Hamlet, suddenly gripped by poison, looses his footing. It's shocking, natural and a terrible surprise, even to him. Such is the momentum of this melodramatic, almost operatic version of Hamlet that the audience's legs are torn from under them as well. I like this very much, a Hamlet performed by a company with respect but not reverence for the text, converting the script into movie drama not simply committing it to camera.Zeffirelli's biggest coup might be the setting, a damp and distant medieval fortress at odds with Gibson's modern, witty but clearly unbalanced Prince. The British cast assembled around him are very fine - I think Alan Bates would have to be my ideal Claudius. Glenn Close's Gertrude is rather spiky but this highlights her predatory sexuality which (I think) suits this arrangement. Morricone's score is bonus. 8/10