Hamlet (1990)

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Hamlet (1990)Hamlet is kind of a funny movie review, Gibson is awfully missed cast, as he is just too old for the role, but you can not deny he had balls to take on such a risky role, and he does surprisingly well especially during the madness scenes. Yet in hindsight you have to wonder how much it was actually acting. Glenn Close is a poor casting choice, but Helena Bonham Carter is brilliant as Ophelia. In fact I think she gives the best performance in the movie.Hamlet ended 1990 as the 60th highest grossing movie of the year with a $20 million domestic haul. It probably wouldn't have done as well, without Gibson leading.

Director Franco Zeffirelli gives his version of the famous William Shakespeare play. It's been 3 decades since I read the play and I don't pretend to be an expert in Shakespearean work. Zeffirelli puts the locations to good use although I want better representation of the spirit. It doesn't use cinema to the fullest and leaves the movie locked in as a play. Glenn Close is Queen Gertrude. She's playing it on the flighty side. I like the character more as a harlot. This is a showcase for Mel Gibson and he gives it his all. He comes away with a good performance. I don't think it's a complete performance but he is a compelling big screen movie star. He is able to hold the audience.

I love this movie, Mel Gibson's performance was Oscar worthy by far one of his best next to Braveheart! I haven't seen very many versions of the classic Shakespeare's play, but two. But this one surpassed the other one by far ! This is my daughters take on this movie.I have seen every one of the older versions of this play.And I can honestly say that his performance is just as good,as the men that portrayed this crazy prince in the past.Mel really made me believe that he was a mad man.He me feel sorry for him and mad at the next.If Shakespeare were alive to see him,in this play he would of loved it as much as I did. Glen Close, was great in this movie;she truly made me think that she too had gone mad.

I have not been impressed with most film adaptations off of Shakespeare's work. The only three movies based off of Shakespeare's plays that I would watch are Kurosawa's Ran, the 1970 version of Romeo and Juliet, and this adaptation of Hamlet. Even though many of the lead cast members are American, they pull off their roles wonderfully. Like many people, I'm used to seeing Mel Gibson as the tough Mad Max and the humorous Sergeant Riggs, but he gives an intense performance as hamlet. He merely doesn't stick to the play's dialog, but his eyes burn with an intensity that makes me think of the depressed, cunning, and vengeful Hamlet that is in the play. Ian Holm is perfect as the Polonius that I imagined from the play, the mumbling, sneaky, and funny but wise old man that works for the deceitful and treacherous Claudius. Helena Bonham Carter is youthful and pretty as Hamlet's doomed lover Ophelia. I can't help but smile when her character goes insane for her nonsense singing reminds much of her marvelous work as Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd. Paul Schofield as the ghost of Hamlet's father is not only frightening but moving as a lost and doomed soul. But the thing I liked most about this movie was that it did not retract itself from the Shakespearean language of the play. This not only held true to the play but also made the film itself accurate to the time period. In addition, the set-decoration by two-time Oscar winner Dante Ferretti and costume design by Maurizio Millenotti is beautiful. The score by Ennio Morricone (as he always does) sets the mood and pulls me into the film's story. However, like the play, the movie was slow and at times tiresome. Nonetheless, this is a great adaptation of Hamlet that should not be forgotten. 9/10