Heather
score = 10
My grade twelve English class went to see this movie at the theatre having
recently finished studying Shakespeare's Hamlet. I thought that the
new Ethan Hawke version of the movie was terrible. There were a few
interesting parts, such as the use of video technology, but overall it was
a disgrace to Shakespeare. The movie totally lacked passion; it
seemed like someone told these actors when they were children that
Shakespeare was boring, and they believed it. The movie doesn't even
compare to the original play or to more recent movie adaptations such as
Kenneth Branagh's outstanding film.
Dave
score = 80
Well I'm no Shakespeare aficionado but I knows what I likes, and this I
likes. I like the very idea of the movie, placing a classic tale into a
modern setting. There were a few odd choices the director made, such as
Hamlet giving his famous "To be or not to be" speech while
wandering through a Blockbuster Video, or why would Hamlet have footage of
an oil fire playing on his TV? Casting left a little to be desired. Sam
Shepard played the ghost of Hamlet's father and he just looked tired and
haggard, especially compared to his brother played by Kyle MacLachlan. The
two of them looked 20 years apart. I think MacLachlan was also the weakest
actor. He did not come across as much of a villain. There were a couple of
parts where I started to feel bad for him. Even with that, I still enjoyed
the movie. I never read or saw Hamlet before so the story was a mystery
for me and that probably helped me enjoy it. Regardless, I'm happy I spent
the money to see it.
HAMLET
is a contemporary adaptation of the classic play set in New York City,
circa 2000 -- a world of laptops and limousines.
