Othello

R

Released Dec 15, 1995

2 hr. 4 min.

Drama

List

68%

41 Reviews

Tomatometer

64%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Heroic general Othello (Laurence Fishburne), the only African in the Venetian army, is carrying on a courtship with white noblewoman Desdemona (Irène Jacob). Their hasty marriage causes some political upheaval, but the military leader is quickly dispatched to halt an invasion on Cyprus. Once there, Othello's lieutenant, Iago (Kenneth Branagh), who believes Othello has wronged him, conceives a plan to get revenge by convincing the new husband that his wife is unfaithful.

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Critics Consensus

Perhaps less than the sum of its parts, Othello is still highly entertaining, and features excellent performances from Laurence Fishburne and Kenneth Branagh.

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Alec B

90s erotic thriller Shakespeare is a choice . . . and while it doesn't really work on the whole I do like Branagh's Iago. Truly his weirdest performance.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/24

Full Review

Liam B

I'm not generally a fan of movie based on books or plays. Books don't have the luxury of using visuals, so generally the only way story can be delivered in them is via dialogue. This leads to many moments throughout the movie where the visual element can be taken advantage of, putting these movies at an inherent disadvantage compared to completely original movies. For what it's worth though, "Othello" does at least have a semi-engaging plot line. Iago is quite an interesting character. He plays the role of a deceiver, but avoids lying wherever possible. He's a master manipulator, and watching his exploits makes the movie at least somewhat engaging. The movie makes uses a clever metaphor with its irony: it uses post and meta irony respectively to represent when Iago has the other characters right where he wants them compared to when he is on the back foot. Generally, the performances throughout the movie were fine, so no complaints there. None of the other characters did nearly as much as Iago did during the film, which is ironic since Othello is the main character. Overall, it was ok, but I think an re-imagining of Othello made specifically for the big screen would have been more entertaining.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/05/23

Full Review

Drew D

The Othello movie was really well done. It differed from the play a little bit but despite those minor differences the movie was enjoyable. My only complaint about the movie is I wish it was a little longer and went into more detail with Iago and why he did what he did. The whole plot of the movie was Iago getting his revenge for Othello not picking him for the job and picking Casio instead, it doesn't really go into that much detail why he cared so much or why it was so important to him. I also wish it went to a little more detail with Casio and fleshed his character out more. He was an important part of the story and I feel he didn't get as much screen time as he deserved. Other than that, the movie's characters were well done. All the actors were perfectly casted and acted really well in the movie. All the costume designs looked good and fit all the characters. All the sets and film spots were also really good and really brought it all together with great cinematography. I would recommend this movie to any one that likes Shakespeare's work or any one that likes tragedies.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/04/23

Full Review

Colton W

The 1995 film adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Othello" is an accurate portrayal of the play and shows the correct jealousy, betrayal, and deception that Shakespeare wanted. The director Oliver Parker delivers a powerful and emotional experience that stays true to the original play. The movie shows stunning battles. Othello is commanding and powerful, while Iago is manipulative and cunning and with Desdemona as an innocent victim caught in the middle of the scheming and backstabbing of Iago. Her performance brings a depth of emotion to the character that is truly moving. The film's cinematography is breathtaking, with sweeping landscapes and stunning visuals with the powerful music all adding to the film's overall sense of tension and foreboding. Overall, "Othello" is an amazing Shakespearean adaptation. It is great for teaching or just to watch on your own time. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to witness Shakespeare's writing whether it is your first time watching one of his plays or if you have experienced his work before. I would rate this a 3.5 out of 5

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/04/23

Full Review

Julia M

I thought the Othello movie was done very well and effectively delivered the story of Othello. One of the first things I noticed about the movie is how natural the actors sounded using the Shakespearean dialect, it did not sound forced nor harsh. It really helped to bring you into the world of the play. The character choice was also very appropriate, they played their parts well. For example, Iago was convincingly manipulative, Roderigo was increasingly desperate, and Desdemona was innocently oblivious. The writing and directing was also good, it kept you engaged in the story and followed the play as best as a movie can follow a piece of writing. It kept many of the main elements and conflicts of the play like the handkerchief debate and Iago's monologue that explains his thoughts and motives throughout the movie. One thing I really enjoyed was how Emilia brought up that men and women are the same, and shouldn't be treated lesser, or as an object. I think it was very progressive for a play of its time and I'm glad they translated it into the movie. Emilia was one hundred percent the best character and I admired her strong character. Overall, I would recommend this movie to anyone who has an interest in Shakespeare or the classics. Personally, reading the play first helped to comprehend and understand the movie better, so if you have the time I would also recommend it, as it makes the movie more enjoyable to watch.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/06/23

Full Review

Savannah L

Savannah Little Is Othello to be or not to be? Reviewed in the United States April 3rd, 2023 I am writing this review to save the time of those who are unsure about watching this movie. This movie requires a very specific taste. If you are watching this movie to achieve a deeper understanding of Shakespeare you will not find it. Aside from its Shakespearean language that is dramatically toned down it does not hold the same impact as the play or the book. I would recommend this movie to somebody who is looking for a tragic, somewhat campy romantic movie. Othello is a movie that is hard to follow and unless you already have an understanding of the story it will probably be obscure and hard to follow. The director seemed to try and make it into a movie that is appealing to all audiences (not just Shakespeare fans) but it fell short. As I was watching the movie I was also reading the play scene by scene and the play seemed to be more impactful and interesting than the movie. The audience for this movie needs people who love tragic movies that are hard to follow or are studying Shakespeare and want a simpler understanding of it. The purpose of watching the movie would have to be purely that you need to watch it for an assignment because other than that it is not worth the time. Being that it is not a mainstream movie the occasion would most likely be under the circumstances of studying anyway but I highly recommend just reading the play.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

04/04/23

Full Review

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Oliver Parker

Director

Laurence Fishburne

Othello

Irène Jacob

Desdemona

Kenneth Branagh

Iago

Nathaniel Parker

Cassio

Michael Maloney

Roderigo

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Anna Smith

Time Out

A highly engaging attempt at Shakespeare's most domestic tragedy.

Jan 26, 2006

Full Review

Janet Maslin

New York Times

Mr. Branagh's superb performance...guarantees this film an immediacy that any audience will understand.

May 20, 2003

Full Review

Hollywood Reporter

Davies has done an admirable job of condensing the sprawling action.

Oct 15, 2002

Full Review

Sheila Reid

Women in the Life

Laurence Fishburne does one helluva job portraying the famous Moor straight out of the pages of Shakespeare.

May 13, 2022

Full Review

Mal Vincent

The Virginian-Pilot

Anna Patrick is particularly impressive in the usually overlooked role of Emilia.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 25, 2022

Full Review

Quentin Curtis

Independent on Sunday

Like its hero, Oliver Parker's Othello starts mightily -- resplendent and captivating -- before crumpling under the weight of misguided choices and self-delusion.

Dec 7, 2017

Full Review

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Synopsis

Heroic general Othello (Laurence Fishburne), the only African in the Venetian army, is carrying on a courtship with white noblewoman Desdemona (Irène Jacob). Their hasty marriage causes some political upheaval, but the military leader is quickly dispatched to halt an invasion on Cyprus. Once there, Othello's lieutenant, Iago (Kenneth Branagh), who believes Othello has wronged him, conceives a plan to get revenge by convincing the new husband that his wife is unfaithful.

Director: Oliver Parker
Executive Producer: Jonathan Olsberg
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Castle Rock, Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Castle Rock Entertainment, Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 15, 1995, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 9, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.2M
Sound Mix: Surround

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