Hamlet

There are two ways of appreciating Shakespeare. One is in the orbit for which the play was written, the stage, the other is the film. I have never been truly impressed by the film versions until this, Kenneth Branagh's adaptation. I've loved the Bard since a child and have seen it countless times on the stage in minimalist form from local rep, at the Old Vic, the wonderful BBC 'Shakespeare Collection' with Derrick Jacobi and now in wide screen. I have the whole set! Near Perfect!

I loved it! Bragnagh's interpretation of the tragic Dane was wonderful. His feigned madness to beautifully played and all the actors appear to be enjoying the experience of playing in one of Shakespeare's finest creations. The use of mirrors during Hamlet's soliloquy were clever and subtle, and Kate Winslet's Ophelia was executed with emotion and dignity. Although it is very long, it is practically word for word, and a beautiful interpretation.

Kenneth Branagh's, incredible realisation of the bard's finest. The cast is stratospheric and, almost too numerous to namecheck... but Richard Briers is outstanding, as is Derek Jacobi. Timothy Spall, Billy Crystal, Julie Christie, Charlton Heston, lovely Brian Blessed and Kate Winslet all uncannily, born for their parts. Subtleties or humor are coaxed from stranger quarters, with walk-ons from Robbin Williams, Richard Attenborough, John Mills and even a slightly bewildered Jack Lemon, many others all lend character.

Detail is dazzling, dramatic thrust assured and its Blenheim palace locations are almost an additional player, lending more clarity.

Its grandiose length is handled with lightness so when the soliloquies sound out, they surprise, inform and reveal without being stagey.

Some insights, such as Hamlet's incestuousness are not overplayed, leaving his control of developments always mysterious. Tension ever present, Hamlet's vigor and fury is clear, meting out explosively, when waiting becomes, with a wink, almost excruciating.

I've seen quite a few Hamlets on DVD and this is the worst by a long way. I only forced myself to see the second part because I would not on principle criticise or comment on a work I had not seen to the end, but the more I watched the worse it got. This is truly a Hollywood action style remake of Hamlet and shows off the style at its worst. Some of the ideas in this production are good, especially the setting and locations, but they cannot rescue it.

The premise of showing Hamlet as completely mad and ranting like an idiot does not work. Hamlet really needed to have listened to his own advice to the players about overacting. He speaks so fast that often you cannot understand what he is saying.

There are several cinematic additions - cut to external scenes - that add nothing to the story and seem to be there to remind us that this is a film. The ending is straight out of the worst type of adventure movie and just proves how ridiculous the whole production is.

Branagh relishes the role of a raging Hamlet and exploits every nuance of mood to the full. The play is projected as a film epic but all too often background music, sometimes too abstract to reflect the mood of the scene, subtracts rather than adds and this effect evokes a second-rate television series.