Polonius reminded me of a more dignified version of Bill Murray's treatment, but still caught the pompous drift of the character. The talents of the cast came together superbly (wished for a different Ophelia though). I thought the juxtaposition of Shakespeare Old English in a Modern Setting worked amazingly well. Most contemporary productions of Shakespeare border on silly (Leonardo D's version of Romeo and Juliet) to ridiculous (Ethan Hawke's Hamlet), but this version rocks, to use an overused phrase. Just as well, as that might have tainted my view of Mr. I have watched all versions of Hamlet available and was quick to check out the newest one however, Patrick Stewart was the only familiar actor to me. What else can be said? It has compelling drama, stunning visuals, some of the best acting of any film period, and it adapts a Shakespearean tale with the utmost respect.īeing an American rather new to Shakespeare, I have come to discover that Hamlet is my favorite play, and as of today the David Tennant and Patrick Stewart version provides the breakthrough to understanding this complicated play. Hamlet's iconic, and this film is iconic. It keeps the themes of the story of Hamlet.
Ending on quite the downer with everyone dying. The movie is heartbreaking, as well as of agic. Characters I enjoyed watching, and a movie I adore. Dialogue that sounds sophisticated, natural and on point. All these scenes feature acting, excellent visuals and great Shakespearean writing. There are scenes like The Death of Prince Hamlet, Patrick's Stewart's monologue to Hamlet in ghost form, or Hamlet's "To be or not to be" speech. There's so much good in this film, that choosing my favorite scene in the film is a daunting task. Either way, it looks nice, and also convinces me this is the home of a king. Seeing everything through that kind of lenses, but it collapsed as the film continued. Everything has a polished and stylized look to it, possibly representing Hamlet's view of the world. The shots are eye-catching and always something to rest your eyes on. The sets are pristine, well crafted, and interesting to lay your eyes on. The movie is also, might I add, a visual spectacle. Again, the same great delivery, sometimes I just can't explain how stellar a performance is, and I can't just talk about it. Amazing, right? Now, look at him play Claudius. Delivering all his dialogue with astonishing attention to his emotions he's supposed to be feeling.
He is able to perform both roles with such ease. At the same time, Patrick Stewart as Claudius and Hamlet's father is also amazing. Really helping in contributing to the movies different feel and style from other adaptations of its kind. Whatever he was doing in the film, he always brought something to the film no other actor that has played Prince Hamlet of Denmark has done. And at the same time, Tennant is able to never be boring, either in an over the top moment, or a quieter moment where he expressed more sadness in his acting. Will you play upon this pipe?" The performance is down to Earth and believable. Evident by lines of dialogue such as, "I do not understand that. But plays him with such lunacy, and such attention to his chaotic nature, jumping from one crazy thing to another with such effortlessness. Playing a man that was clearly broken on the inside by traumatic events, evident by the scene where the prince looked at his reflection in a broken mirror.
David Tennant adds so much to Prince Hamlet, he plays the character with such emotional range.
It's a chilling drama, that's able to keep you 100% invested. It's because it was simply the best acted and written. And not it's British, or only got a television release. And while those are astonishingly good movies, this one is much better, and possibly the best ever Hamlet adaptation of all time. More people might remember the 1948 version, or the 4 hour 1996 film, Mel Gibson's shot at it, as well as countless others. It's the classic tale from Shakespeare in its purest form, a well written tragedy. And though this film has a 3 hour runtime, it isn't too long. And even though it's 3 hours, it's not boring. This 3 hour film surprisingly got Patrick Stuart in the role of Claudius/The Ghost of Hamlet's Father.
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However, among so many other adaptations of the classic, this 2009 TV movie aired on BBC, really stands out. The countless remakes and sequels being generated, especially with the Shakespeare classic Hamlet. And even though many film snobs like me complain about the lack of originality in cinema. For an iconic story that has been adapted into books and films, and other mediums of entertainment.