Review of Hamlet (1996) by J D — 01 Nov 2007

Visually, an absolutely stunning film. The wedding scene is breathtaking. You have to admire Branagh for taking on the huge challenge of filming the entire play. What always fascinates me about Shakespeare is that you can take the story and transplant it into any time period and it still works.

This is no exception. As for the performances, it's true that some are a bit uneven. Jack Lemmon tries his darndest, but he's just not cut out for Shakespeare. The big surprise for me was Charlton Heston, who did a great job.

Kate Winslet also stood out (though I'm probably biased because I have a huge crush on her). As to Branagh's portrayal of Hamlet, it was passable but I'll admit I was a bit disappointed. His Hamlet comes off at times as effete and even passive-aggressive, some of the lines uttered in a high tone that almost comes off as a parody of Shakespearean line readings.

One of the special features included trailers for other movies, including that of Mel Gibson's version of Hamlet; while this version of "Hamlet" is superior, Branagh's performance had me appreciating Gibson's more visceral, physical portrayal of the Danish prince.