Hamlet (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', first performed circa 1600, has long been one of the most beloved pieces of literature, stage work & cinema. And here, directed by Kenneth Branagh, is another stunning adaptation. The story centers on Denmark's 30 yr. old Prince Hamlet; who's summoned home for the funeral of his beloved father/King (Brian Blessed). He is also distressed at the impending wedding of his mother, Gertrude (Julie Christie), to his loathsome uncle, Claudius (Derek Jacobi). Hamlet sees this expedient re-marriage as a betrayal of the union with his father. But that's not all he has to worry about. A ghost, appearing as his dead father, haunts Elsinore Castle, & when Hamlet confronts this apparition, he claims to be the spirit of late king; & cursed to Earth for a set time. The ghost also states that, by using poison, Claudius killed the king to marry the queen & attain the crown for himself!
Vowing for revenge, Hamlet hatches a labyrinthine plan to feign madness, murder the prime minister, fall in love with the innocent Ophelia (Kate Winslet), drive her mad, plot 'for' (to confuse) and then 'against' Uncle Claudius, conspire against 2 of his best friends, direct a play within a play for the court (which would secretly reveal Claudius as possible murderer). Meanwhile, 2 of Hamlet's old friends have been employed by Claudius to betray him. Hamlet must juggle his plan, as well as fend off his friends; and conspire against them, as well. And while all of this is going on, Fortinbras (Rufus Sewell), nephew of the King of Norway, is amassing armies to attack Denmark. As most of Shakespeare's works go, and this one is no different ... tragedy occurs on almost every level.
Being that this film is 4 hours long, you can imagine how developed all of the characters are. Everything is mapped out in complex, but meticulous detail. Each grand gesture is amplified; each miniscule nuance, as well. It's all there for us to watch, intake, ponder, & revel in. The political subplots/situations become clearer. Hamlet is seen as more cunning than ever. Themes of revenge, insanity, love, sex & treachery are given lots of breathing room to take form. Along with the tragedy, there's plenty of humor, excitement, adventure, & intrigue. Even Denmark, as a setting, gets more play here. We really sense how beautiful it is, but also how, indeed, it has become "rotten". Speaking of rotten, that's part of one of many infamous quotes to come from this iconic play: "To thine own self be true", "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark", "To be, or not to be, that is the question".
There's no way to avoid talking about the visual spectacle on display, as well. The story is strong anyway, the characters are interesting, the acting is extremely strong (we'll get to that later), but it's the gorgeous visuals which got me hooked, as well. Branagh has an amazing visual 'sense'. Not only is the cinematography stark, bold, bright & colorful, it also makes great use of angle & space. Any sweeping shot (of say, snowy landscapes, or castle corridor) can be impressive, but the camera's focus on particular character's faces are just as good. The sets are immaculate. One can get lost in any room of Hamlet's palace. The costumes are well-detailed, as well. It's easy to say, 'well this is a period piece, of course the costumes will be great'. But you'll really mean it when you see them this time. Both the movie AND its visual splendor are larger than life, glorious, & simply gargantuan.
What also makes Branagh's 'Hamlet' so impressive is his balance of the scintillating visuals with the twisty narrative. Yes, we ooh & ahh at the palace & costumes, but we also feel for Hamlet. We witness Gertrude's confusion. We see how guiling, but also how foolish Polonius is. And we even feel Claudius' guilt. Branagh employs a flashback technique from time to time to show us some of the back stories, & more importantly, the early motivations of certain characters; why they say & act as they do now. There are some great cinematic sequences in this film. i.e., Hamlet's earth-shattering meeting with his father's ghost. A gut-wrenching confrontational scene btwn. Hamlet & Ophelia; newcomer Kate Winslet shines. And there's a graveyard scene which gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.
Performances. Well, I love Jack Lemmon. But his random cameo as Marcellus felt out of place. Gerard Depardieu pops up, as well as a misplaced Robin Williams; I wonder if those 2 were included to draw in certain audience demographics. Charlton Heston, long known as a movie star & not a thespian, actually impressed me as the Player King. Billy Crystal made me chuckle as a gravedigger. But most accolades must go to Branagh (loved his intensity & verve, as well as his contemplative soliloquies), Julie Christie (simply regal), & Derek Jacobi (Claudius is richly portrayed as a man who's outwardly savvy, yet inwardly tortured). Now, the movie did not need to be 4 hours long. 3, 3:15 would have sufficed. And I sometimes struggle to follow the flourishes of Elizabethan dialogue that fly by at breakneck pace. But overall, I really loved this 'Hamlet'. Aside from some excesses & missteps, I applaud Kenneth Branagh greatly.
Vowing for revenge, Hamlet hatches a labyrinthine plan to feign madness, murder the prime minister, fall in love with the innocent Ophelia (Kate Winslet), drive her mad, plot 'for' (to confuse) and then 'against' Uncle Claudius, conspire against 2 of his best friends, direct a play within a play for the court (which would secretly reveal Claudius as possible murderer). Meanwhile, 2 of Hamlet's old friends have been employed by Claudius to betray him. Hamlet must juggle his plan, as well as fend off his friends; and conspire against them, as well. And while all of this is going on, Fortinbras (Rufus Sewell), nephew of the King of Norway, is amassing armies to attack Denmark. As most of Shakespeare's works go, and this one is no different ... tragedy occurs on almost every level.
Being that this film is 4 hours long, you can imagine how developed all of the characters are. Everything is mapped out in complex, but meticulous detail. Each grand gesture is amplified; each miniscule nuance, as well. It's all there for us to watch, intake, ponder, & revel in. The political subplots/situations become clearer. Hamlet is seen as more cunning than ever. Themes of revenge, insanity, love, sex & treachery are given lots of breathing room to take form. Along with the tragedy, there's plenty of humor, excitement, adventure, & intrigue. Even Denmark, as a setting, gets more play here. We really sense how beautiful it is, but also how, indeed, it has become "rotten". Speaking of rotten, that's part of one of many infamous quotes to come from this iconic play: "To thine own self be true", "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark", "To be, or not to be, that is the question".
There's no way to avoid talking about the visual spectacle on display, as well. The story is strong anyway, the characters are interesting, the acting is extremely strong (we'll get to that later), but it's the gorgeous visuals which got me hooked, as well. Branagh has an amazing visual 'sense'. Not only is the cinematography stark, bold, bright & colorful, it also makes great use of angle & space. Any sweeping shot (of say, snowy landscapes, or castle corridor) can be impressive, but the camera's focus on particular character's faces are just as good. The sets are immaculate. One can get lost in any room of Hamlet's palace. The costumes are well-detailed, as well. It's easy to say, 'well this is a period piece, of course the costumes will be great'. But you'll really mean it when you see them this time. Both the movie AND its visual splendor are larger than life, glorious, & simply gargantuan.
What also makes Branagh's 'Hamlet' so impressive is his balance of the scintillating visuals with the twisty narrative. Yes, we ooh & ahh at the palace & costumes, but we also feel for Hamlet. We witness Gertrude's confusion. We see how guiling, but also how foolish Polonius is. And we even feel Claudius' guilt. Branagh employs a flashback technique from time to time to show us some of the back stories, & more importantly, the early motivations of certain characters; why they say & act as they do now. There are some great cinematic sequences in this film. i.e., Hamlet's earth-shattering meeting with his father's ghost. A gut-wrenching confrontational scene btwn. Hamlet & Ophelia; newcomer Kate Winslet shines. And there's a graveyard scene which gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.
Performances. Well, I love Jack Lemmon. But his random cameo as Marcellus felt out of place. Gerard Depardieu pops up, as well as a misplaced Robin Williams; I wonder if those 2 were included to draw in certain audience demographics. Charlton Heston, long known as a movie star & not a thespian, actually impressed me as the Player King. Billy Crystal made me chuckle as a gravedigger. But most accolades must go to Branagh (loved his intensity & verve, as well as his contemplative soliloquies), Julie Christie (simply regal), & Derek Jacobi (Claudius is richly portrayed as a man who's outwardly savvy, yet inwardly tortured). Now, the movie did not need to be 4 hours long. 3, 3:15 would have sufficed. And I sometimes struggle to follow the flourishes of Elizabethan dialogue that fly by at breakneck pace. But overall, I really loved this 'Hamlet'. Aside from some excesses & missteps, I applaud Kenneth Branagh greatly.