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Hamlet

PG Released Jan 18, 1991 2h 15m Drama List
76% Tomatometer 37 Reviews 59% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Franco Zeffirelli's adaptation of Shakespeare's tragedy about the young prince of Denmark who is plagued by indecision when he vows to avenge his father's murder. Filmed on location around the UK, including Stonehaven in Scotland, the film boasts an impressive ensemble cast.
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Hamlet

Hamlet

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Critics Consensus

It may lack some of the depth and complexity of the play, but Mel Gibson and Franco Zeffirelli make a surprisingly successful team.

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Critics Reviews

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Michael Wilmington Los Angeles Times It's not at all a bad film. Nov 20, 2019 Full Review Variety Staff Variety Performances all fall in a middle range between the competent and the lackluster. Jul 4, 2008 Full Review Derek Adams Time Out It's a surprisingly successful venture, decked out in Anglo-Saxon styles and with a brooding, robust castle setting which oozes horse muck. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Otis Stuart OutWeek The new film reverberates with a genuinely Shakespearean liveliness. May 19, 2020 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Starring Mel Gibson, Zeffirelli's Oscar-nominated version is colorful and mildly engaging, but lacking depth and poetry, and the two women are miscast. Rated: C+ Jun 6, 2012 Full Review Scott Nash Three Movie Buffs Alas, poor Mel Gibson! I knew him when he was on top of the world. Rated: 3.5/4 Feb 19, 2012 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Sanford S Am amazing tour de force by Mel Gibson playing the young prince - one of the best and worth the watching! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/21/23 Full Review Jeffrey Y I did not understand the movie and I think I have wasted 2 hours of my life. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 11/09/22 Full Review steve d There are better versions where you don't have to deal with Mel. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Setting aside Mel Gibson's more recent behavioral problems and questionable attitudes and opinions which, as far as I know, weren't a problem at the time, Gibson has always been a fairly competent actor. For the most part, he's not a great actor, though he's turned in some pretty good performances (Man Without a Face, for example). When it was announced he'd be playing Hamlet in the Zeffirelli production, as I recall the general reaction was "What, the Road Warrior? Riggs from Lethal Weapon? Doing Shakespeare? Are you kidding?" But, to his credit, Gibson turned in a truly competent performance. He breathes life and energy into the character, but preserves the melancholy and conflict. I recall seeing a documentary about the making of the movie which showed him working with a vocal coach to get the dialog and accent right. Whether or not the accent is right, he delivers the dialog effectively. This is an area a lot of actors not trained in Shakespearean acting fall flat. The language is generally unfamiliar to modern English speaking actors, and it can be difficult to get the flow and rhythm right. So many actors and actresses recite the lines, but don't seem to really understand the words they're saying, and it shows in how they accent the wrong words in a phrase or how the words just don't flow as they should. For a modern English audience, this can be the key to understanding the dialog. Even if you don't understand all of the words or references, the delivery can make the meaning clear. And here, Gibson does right by the Bard. The only real complaint I have with the production is the way the screenplay was truncated and somewhat rearranged. Of course, a full production of Hamlet runs over 4 hours, so truncation is necessary, it's just where the cuts are made I don't always agree with. Still, overall, Zeffirelli's production is enjoyable and the acting is, if not masterful, more than competent. I highly recommend this film. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Audience Member Stone cold classic. Riveting stuff and Gibson is a revelation in the role. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member It's a real shame that they've cut/shortened the play, because other than that, it's really stunning. I was very surprised at how well-put-together and intense it was. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Franco Zeffirelli's adaptation of Shakespeare's tragedy about the young prince of Denmark who is plagued by indecision when he vows to avenge his father's murder. Filmed on location around the UK, including Stonehaven in Scotland, the film boasts an impressive ensemble cast.
Director
Franco Zeffirelli
Producer
Dyson Lovell
Screenwriter
Christopher De Vore, Franco Zeffirelli
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts, Canal+, Icon Productions
Rating
PG
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 18, 1991, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 28, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$18.2M
Runtime
2h 15m
Sound Mix
Surround
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