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Hamlet

Play trailer Poster for Hamlet R Released Jan 24, 2000 1h 51m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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59% Tomatometer 97 Reviews 46% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
This is a modern retelling of the classic tale of a young fimmaker in New York City (Ethan Hawke) struggling with the weight of a production company called Denmark Corp. following the death of his father, including dealing with those who would deprive him of his "crown."

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Critics Consensus

Stiff performances fail to produce any tension onscreen.

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Critics Reviews

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Roxana Hadadi Crooked Marquee Almereyda's details actually give the core story an additional layer of power. The cyclical decay of Hamlet still resonates, even as its '90s flourishes have become increasingly irrelevant. Jun 5, 2020 Full Review Gavin Smith Film Comment Magazine Ingeniously and divertingly updating Shakespeare to corporate New York, Michael Almereyda's Hamlet benefits from playfully iconographic casting. Apr 10, 2018 Full Review Jason Bailey Flavorwire Too often, the gimmick of modern-dress Shakespeare is undone by the sheer visual incongruity of people in business suits speaking in 17th-century vernacular. Hawke (and those surrounding him) somehow make it play. Jun 21, 2016 Full Review Susan Sontag Artforum Witty, intelligent, and most convincing when it’s altogether over the top. May 2, 2024 Full Review Cary Wong Out Magazine Despite some interesting set pieces... Almereyda could have infused the proceedings with more energy and less brooding. May 25, 2022 Full Review A.S. Hamrah The Baffler The films pops off the screen in brilliant color and striking arrangements of actors. Sep 16, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Kyle M Followed after Baz Luhrman's stylishly modern take "Romeo + Juliet", Michael Almereyda's "Hamlet" didn't overdo in power within decent strikes but then again it didn't do much. It's packed with a nice cast at expected caliber in their script delivery through a disjointedly bland modernization that initially compelled till concluded it was done in the wrong place at the wrong time. (B-) Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/15/23 Full Review Luke B A noble experiment with the format, but overall it's more interesting than good. Setting it in contemporary New York makes for some great visuals, and turning the play-within-a-play into a film-within-a-film is was a stroke of genius, but most of the performances sound more like a table read or first rehearsal than actual dialogue. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 12/02/22 Full Review steve d In the long history of Hamlet on film, this might be the worst. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member this is the most early 2000s thing i have ever seen in my life? on boxxy software Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member I created a rotten tomatoes account specifically to give this the minimum number of stars. I never thought I could so entirely hate any production of Hamlet. They make Hamlet into a melodramatic manchild. He has no sense of humor to speak of. Hell, they even manage to make POLONIUS almost boring despite casting him well? like? how is this even POSSIBLE? The only praise I can give this movie is that they cut Hamlet's speech to the actors, and so made the movie that much shorter. (I'm sure they would have found a way to make it boring anyway.) Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member I appreciate the go-for-broke commitment to the concept, yes it's often a complete mess but I found it a ultimately admirable effort. Regardless of whether or not it works, seeing the "To be or not to be" soliloquy delivered in a Blockbuster Video is something quite unforgettable. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Hamlet

A scene from the movie "Hamlet" Ethan Hawke as Hamlet, Diane Venora as Gertrude and Kyle MacLachlan as Claudius in Miramax's Hamlet Bill Murray as Polonius and Julia Stiles as Ophelia in Miramax's Hamlet Ethan Hawke as Hamlet and Liev Schreiber as Laertes in Miramax's Hamlet Sam Shepard and Director Michael Almereyda on the set of Miramax's Hamlet Ethan Hawke as Hamlet in Miramax's Hamlet Steve Zahn as Rosencrantz and Dechen Thurman as Guildenstern in Miramax's Hamlet Julia Stiles as Ophelia in Miramax's Hamlet Hamlet (2000) Hamlet (2000) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis This is a modern retelling of the classic tale of a young fimmaker in New York City (Ethan Hawke) struggling with the weight of a production company called Denmark Corp. following the death of his father, including dealing with those who would deprive him of his "crown."
Director
Michael Almereyda
Producer
Andrew Fierberg, Amy Hobby
Screenwriter
William Shakespeare, Michael Almereyda
Distributor
Miramax Films
Production Co
Double A Films
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 24, 2000, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.6M
Runtime
1h 51m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Surround
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