Review of Hamlet 2 (2008) by Barnaby E — 17 Oct 2009

Sometimes you can wish too hard for a film to be funny and it lets you down. The premise and idea behind 'Hamlet 2' is a very strong one, with some real potential for parody, 'real life' and also the breakdown of an individual with delusions of grandeur.

However, even though I found 'Hamlet 2' laugh out loud funny in places, I was constantly willing it to be funnier. 'Must try harder' would be written in the School Report for this School comedy.

Steve Coogan leaves all traces of Alan Partridge behind with his portrayal of a constantly failing actor turned teacher, who believes he is much greater than anyone gives him credit for. It sounds Patridge-esque but he really delivers a genuinely different performance here, complete with American accent and some true emotion.

The trouble is, his role requires real caricature and everyone around him is playing it relatively straight for their comedy. So, intentional or not, this stops the film being centred. The plot, of a Drama teacher who wants to as inspirational as the films he aspires to (like 'Mr Holland's Opus', 'Dead Poet's Society' and even 'Dangerous Minds'), getting a rag-tag mob of students who don't really want to be there but are forced to due to timetable changes, and putting on a production that will 'save' the Arts, is coupled with a tale of a failed marriage and a failed actor.

All of it looks brilliant on paper but just doesn't seem to quite gel on screen. When the gags are good, they are very good, but there's a lot of meandering scenes which are merely amusing rather than belly laughing.

However, Elisabeth Shue gives a knockout performances as 'herself', which really was a clever twist on celebrity cameos in movies, and Amy Poehler was hilarious as the lawyer with attitude who represents any repression that she can slug out about.

The finale built up to a funny climax, with the politically incorrect 'so bad it's good' version of the sequel to Shakespeare's Hamlet is rather touching and amusing but never quite as funny as it should be.

Overall, this is a fun movie, with some great performances, central premise, and jokes, but just falls down a little at times. Definitely one to watch but possibly doesn't have that 'repeat viewing' x-factor.