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Hamlet Customer Reviews (46 - 46 of 46 Reviews)

Originally, Shakespeare's plays were intended for the masses. At the time they were looked at like Adam Sandler movies are today. What's wrong with making his greatest work more accessible to contemporary audiences and possibly setting off a few sparks of interest in folks who may have otherwise been content to spend their $10 on a Happy Gilmore sequel instead?

I was an English major in college and spent a lot of time that first semester 'decoding the bard'. It wasn't until my sophomore year that I was able to truly immerse myself in the language and enjoy Shakespeare for what it is. Had Gibson's Hamlet been around I may have been able to get into the waters a bit quicker. His performance was riveting and the rest of the cast was simply amazing. I fell in love with Helena Bonham Carter's Ophelia and nearly cried when she... Wait! Spoiler there. (Yes, Shakespeare can be spoiled for the uninitiated.)

One last thing I would like to point out to those who complained about Mel being far too animated and crazed as Hamlet. Melancholia was considered a medical term in Shakespeare's time. It was a generic term used to describe a variety of psychological maladies, which included mood swings and possibly even schizophrenia. Just because Gibson chose to go in a different direction from more traditional interpretations doesn't make him wrong. He may have been closer to The Bard's vision of the character than Olivier or Richard Burton. (Maybe.)

Regardless, this is at the very least a very entertaining interpretation of a great classic. Now let's talk about why Brannaugh's uncut, super, four hour edition has not been released... What fools these mortals be.