Out of all of William Shakespeare's most beloved and well known plays, few works have been adapted, either for the stage or, more recently, in cinematic form. The majority of such productions are known for taking significant liberties with the work, mainly in terms of length and editing. And such is the main selling point for director/star Kenneth Branagh's incarnation of the tragic prince of Denmark: the work is presented unabridged and unashamed of it, and as such, is one of the most unquestionably faithful Shakespearian cinematic adaptations as of yet. Considered by many to be the definitive film version of the play, Branagh's Hamlet is by no means a flawless film, but a powerful and faithful enough work to merit a viewing.
Branagh's passion and keep grasp on his source material is evident, as is the astute evidence paid to even the most minute details of the sprawling work. To take a four hour long (the sheer length in itself will unquestionably be enough to deter some viewers either from taking in the film or watching it in a single sitting) Shakespearian play and infuse it with enough zest and energy to keep it interesting for a contemporary audience is no small feat indeed, but to his credit, Branagh performs such a task admirably. The film's mostly strong, but somewhat uneven pacing, including some quintessential contextual flashback sequences, intriguing cinematography and Patrick Doyle's rousing (if slightly overdone) musical score are engaging, and benefit the film immensely. The period adaptation, to 1890s civil war era works surprisingly well, considering the many less than favourable attempts to adapt Shakespearian dramas into a contemporary time period, (Baz Luhrman's Romeo and Juliet comes disconcertingly to mind...) and the vibrant and expansive period sets and costumes are visually delightful, adding a sense of epic splendour to the production.
However, considering Branagh's considerable talent and directorial attentiveness, it is a shame indeed that the production still feels like it is missing something, or falling tantalisingly short of the emotional depth and breadth one might hope for in one of Shakespeare's more emotional works. A disappointing number of the film's key emotional moments either come across as disappointingly flat or toeing the line of melodramatic hysteria, though for the most part, Branagh keeps the emotional tension to an appropriate simmer. Also, for such a dialogue intensive work, many of the actors' delivery feels overly "stagey", frequently drawing the audience out of the emotional intensity of the moment. However, despite such complaints, on the whole the film performs admirably - it is only a slight disappointment that there is a consistent feel of the full (admittably vast) potential not quite being filled.
In such a dramatic work as Hamlet, the performances are key, and thankfully, Branagh has played his cards right by assembling a stellar cast to bring his vision to life. As the title character himself, Branagh manages a precisely poised balance between the brooding, flamboyant and lethal aspects of the character. His careful research and preparation show through his deliberately crafted performance (even his forays into the melodramatic tend to infuse the often imbalanced character with a fitting unusual edge) - it would be difficult to imagine an overall more satisfying Hamlet. Kate Winslet is easily one of the film's strongest points, typically powerful, charismatic and tremendously impressive as the harried Ophelia, Hamlet's love interest. Derek Jacobi gives a strong performance as the Machiavellian King Claudius, infusing the role with the necessary depth to make Claudius a troubled and lamenting character rather than a one dimensional antagonist.
As Hamlet's troubled mother Gertrude, Julie Christie, years after her initial call to fame, demonstrates her ability to still craft elegant, credible and tremendously powerful performances. Richard Briers makes for an excellent Polonius, but unfortunately Nicholas Farrell and Michael Maloney prove miscast with little charisma and tendencies to overact as Horatio and Laertes respectively. Branagh also makes use of a supporting cast chock full of famous faces to both keep viewers interested and instill intrinsic value into characters that might otherwise be considered inconsequential. Billy Crystal is perfectly cast as the comic relief Gravedigger, and Robin Williams and Jack Lemmon are put to good use in minuscule yet nonetheless amusing roles as Osric and Marcellus. Brian Blessed is a formidable presence as the Ghost of Hamlet's father, and Charlton Heston and Rosemary Harris are endearing in the "Player" interlude. Also, unseen in the abridged cut of the production are entertaining cameos from Gerard Dépardieu, Richard Attenborough and Judi Dench.
Shakespeare aficionados will have much to appreciate, as Branagh's passion for his source material and distinct directorial touch help carry the film through its regrettable weaker moments and occasional lapses in emotional poignancy and acting. While the staggering running time and period dialogue will doubtlessly prove too daunting for those unaccustomed to the works of Shakespeare, those willing to make the investment will find Branagh's work to be among the most faithful and entertaining film adaptations of the Bard's works. Considering the tremendous ambition of the task, Branagh's film, while by no means perfect, should still be considered nothing less than a laudable success.
-8/10
Branagh's passion and keep grasp on his source material is evident, as is the astute evidence paid to even the most minute details of the sprawling work. To take a four hour long (the sheer length in itself will unquestionably be enough to deter some viewers either from taking in the film or watching it in a single sitting) Shakespearian play and infuse it with enough zest and energy to keep it interesting for a contemporary audience is no small feat indeed, but to his credit, Branagh performs such a task admirably. The film's mostly strong, but somewhat uneven pacing, including some quintessential contextual flashback sequences, intriguing cinematography and Patrick Doyle's rousing (if slightly overdone) musical score are engaging, and benefit the film immensely. The period adaptation, to 1890s civil war era works surprisingly well, considering the many less than favourable attempts to adapt Shakespearian dramas into a contemporary time period, (Baz Luhrman's Romeo and Juliet comes disconcertingly to mind...) and the vibrant and expansive period sets and costumes are visually delightful, adding a sense of epic splendour to the production.
However, considering Branagh's considerable talent and directorial attentiveness, it is a shame indeed that the production still feels like it is missing something, or falling tantalisingly short of the emotional depth and breadth one might hope for in one of Shakespeare's more emotional works. A disappointing number of the film's key emotional moments either come across as disappointingly flat or toeing the line of melodramatic hysteria, though for the most part, Branagh keeps the emotional tension to an appropriate simmer. Also, for such a dialogue intensive work, many of the actors' delivery feels overly "stagey", frequently drawing the audience out of the emotional intensity of the moment. However, despite such complaints, on the whole the film performs admirably - it is only a slight disappointment that there is a consistent feel of the full (admittably vast) potential not quite being filled.
In such a dramatic work as Hamlet, the performances are key, and thankfully, Branagh has played his cards right by assembling a stellar cast to bring his vision to life. As the title character himself, Branagh manages a precisely poised balance between the brooding, flamboyant and lethal aspects of the character. His careful research and preparation show through his deliberately crafted performance (even his forays into the melodramatic tend to infuse the often imbalanced character with a fitting unusual edge) - it would be difficult to imagine an overall more satisfying Hamlet. Kate Winslet is easily one of the film's strongest points, typically powerful, charismatic and tremendously impressive as the harried Ophelia, Hamlet's love interest. Derek Jacobi gives a strong performance as the Machiavellian King Claudius, infusing the role with the necessary depth to make Claudius a troubled and lamenting character rather than a one dimensional antagonist.
As Hamlet's troubled mother Gertrude, Julie Christie, years after her initial call to fame, demonstrates her ability to still craft elegant, credible and tremendously powerful performances. Richard Briers makes for an excellent Polonius, but unfortunately Nicholas Farrell and Michael Maloney prove miscast with little charisma and tendencies to overact as Horatio and Laertes respectively. Branagh also makes use of a supporting cast chock full of famous faces to both keep viewers interested and instill intrinsic value into characters that might otherwise be considered inconsequential. Billy Crystal is perfectly cast as the comic relief Gravedigger, and Robin Williams and Jack Lemmon are put to good use in minuscule yet nonetheless amusing roles as Osric and Marcellus. Brian Blessed is a formidable presence as the Ghost of Hamlet's father, and Charlton Heston and Rosemary Harris are endearing in the "Player" interlude. Also, unseen in the abridged cut of the production are entertaining cameos from Gerard Dépardieu, Richard Attenborough and Judi Dench.
Shakespeare aficionados will have much to appreciate, as Branagh's passion for his source material and distinct directorial touch help carry the film through its regrettable weaker moments and occasional lapses in emotional poignancy and acting. While the staggering running time and period dialogue will doubtlessly prove too daunting for those unaccustomed to the works of Shakespeare, those willing to make the investment will find Branagh's work to be among the most faithful and entertaining film adaptations of the Bard's works. Considering the tremendous ambition of the task, Branagh's film, while by no means perfect, should still be considered nothing less than a laudable success.
-8/10