Drama > H Drama

it was not to be.

Advantages: Ethan Hawke in amusing hat
Disadvantages: it is crap

Hamlet is my favorite Shakespeare play. I know it fairly well. It lives up to the hype, so to speak. This movie, however, is self- indulgent and badly written, poorly scripted bollocks. It has not one fatal flaw like our hero, but several. The entire movie is a multitude of sins, too voluminous, and some too hideous to cover fully. First of all, the cast. Julia friggin Stiles (Ophelia) is in every modernised Shakespeare thing ever made. She's a ...
...the entire film. Ethan Hawke's Hamlet is weak and unconvincing, often over- acted. Bill Murray provides some comic relief with his scarily accurate portrayal of pottering rambling old Polonius, but one decent performance does not a movie make. In fact, Murray merely serves to highlight by juxtaposition how terrible the other actors truly are. Updating Hamlet to a 20/21st century setting (Manhattan) yet retaining the original names and language doesn't ...

heroinchica 17.01.2004 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Hamlet (DVD)

Hamlet film

Advantages: great story, with great actors
Disadvantages: need to know the background of the story and a bit of old english

I think Kenneth brannagh is the best 'Hamlet' since Mel Gibson, he is very funny, interesting and weird in this production. With Kate winslet as his girlfiend, they both make a good pair as they both turn mad...(not to give the plot away) i would recommend this version to anyone who needs to watch 'hamlet' for school use, private use or any other purpose.... Although every version has a different way of portraying hamlet's character, in my opinion, ...
...is in old english, you should know the background of the story and a bit of old english, otherwise it is easy to understand. I believe it is one of Shakespeare's best plays. It also sticks to the original play very well but in alot of ways it is better. Also, nominated for 4 oscars so then you know its good!! ...

pleasedtohelp 21.01.2007 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Hamlet (DVD)

To view or not to view?

Advantages: Excellent adaptation
Disadvantages: Shakespeare's always hard to convert

...on Denmark - The King Hamlet is dead. His son young Hamlet has returned form University to find that his mother has remarried already but not only that, she has married her husband's brother. Now that Hamlet's uncle is the King understandably Hamlet is angry and cofused. He feels his mother has betrayed the memory of his father, a notion which is only fuled by the strange sightings of his father's ghost. When Hamlet speaks to the ghost he is told ...
...Hamlet makes sure to find out the truth and publically shames Claudio. There is much confusion which leads to the death of Gertrude's (Hamlet's mother) confident. Hamlet's girlfriend Ophellia kills herself (Polonious was her father) and Ophellia's brother Laertes plans to kill Hamlet. Claudio gets involved to help Leartes and ends up poisoning his new wife, Laertesis stabbed by Hamlet, Claudio drinks poison too and Hamlet is also slain. Wow! What ...

nkemp_99 02.02.2007 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Hamlet (DVD)

Slightly dissapointing!

Advantages: Love the original play
Disadvantages: not the best movie translation of the play - can't rival an on stage production!

...The 'Mel Gibson' Take on Hamlet - in my opinion - my better represents what i believe shakespeares messages to be - as well as sporting a great cast. Perhaps this lack of familiar faces in this version coupled with the omission of some key points is what i find dissapointing in the movie. However, having judged the movie against the play - i should say that while there are better 'Hamlet' movies - the story of Hamlet is always a good one so i still ...
...the end, you just can't rival an on stage production! I encourage anyone to read the play slowly or watch a Hamlet film so that you understand the basic themes of the play, then go and see a stage production. This way you will get the most out of it! ...

oscariuss 16.05.2005 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Hamlet (DVD)

Intelligent, poignant, powerful and artistic: what a film!

Advantages: acting
Disadvantages: none

...who took part in a hunger strike that ultimately claimed his life in the Maze Prison in 1981. This true story is artistically and poignantly told. IS IT ANY GOOD: I read a review of this film in the Telegraph, and it sounded right up my street: intelligent, artistic and powerful - it was all three. The film is broken into three distinct parts. Part one shows the general treatment of politicl prisoners in the Maze prison, in all its gory detail. ...
...a priest before beginning the hunger strike. I will say now that this dialogue is one of cinema's richest, most authentic and powerful scenes; I was completely absorbed in the reality of what I was watching, and never has dialogue been exemplified in all its power than in that ten minute section. I won't spoil it by telling you what they're talking about, but you need to watch it. Part three shows the hunger strike in all its awful detail. I've ...

bruffyboy 21.03.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Hunger (DVD)