"Hamlet" remains probably William Shakespeare's most famous play. The story of a Danish prince who seeks revenge for his father's murder has been an undeniable part of literature for over 400 years, and has gotten filmed numerous times. Laurence Olivier's Academy Award-winning 1948 version shortened the story - going so far as to eliminate some characters - and is thus seen as more of an analysis of the play. But Kenneth Branagh's 1996 version features the entire play, and is an epic in the true sense of the word.On the one hand, a lot of it comes across as comical due to the appearances of Jack Lemmon, Billy Crystal and Robin Williams (I kept expecting Williams to launch into a whimsical monologue). But the performances of Branagh, as well as Julie Christie, Derek Jacobi and Kate Winslet keep the movie serious. Over the course of four hours, the movie explores humanity in all its futility as Hamlet finds out the truth behind his father's murder and starts planning vengeance.I wouldn't call the movie a full masterpiece - it does drag in places - but I appreciate the effort that Branagh put into it, and the cast gives it their all. I recommend it. Who would've ever imagined John Hammond, Lara Antipova, Sammy Davis Jr, Aunt May, Ben-Hur, Felix Unger and Adrian Cronauer all starring in an adaptation of a Shakespeare play together?PS: Early in his career, Robin Williams had a quote that went something like "TV or not TV? Whether 'tis nobler to do kiddie crap or sweat my ass off at 9 in the morning."

Hamlet, directed and starring Kenneth Branagh, is the movie adaptation of the Shakespeare play by the same name. Hamlet is the story of young Hamlet, whose sanity is spinning out of control as he attempts to seek revenge for his murdered father. This movie is near identical to the inspiration that it steamed from; however, Branagh makes bold choices as the director that make the movie more interesting for those who haven't read the play itself. Depending on your opinion of the play, this could or could not bother you. While there are some pacing issues, overall this film is a great adaptation of Shakespeare's work. If you're a fan of Shakespeare I would put this movie on your must watch list!

"Hamlet", based on the Shakespearean tragedy, directed by Kenneth Branagh, is an excellent retelling of the play. It delves into the life of prince Hamlet, and his thirst for vengeance for his father. Throughout the movie, the plot is almost exact to that of the play. We are reading this in English class, and the movie is a perfect comprension aid if anybody in the class has trouble understanding a scene. Luckily, the acting wasn't too cheesy, so it was enjoyable to watch. The only trouble I came across was that the director had his own take on scenes. For example, we were having a discussion in class about if Gertrude knew if the cup was poisoned before she drank it. The play didn't really give an answer to that, but in the movie, we seem to be more sure of the answer. Although instances like that popped up a few times, it didn't take away from the movie at all, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoyed reading the play!

Hamlet is a tragedy written by Shakespeare, and is directed by Kenneth Branagh. Hamlet is a shakespearean tragedy about a son whose father was killed and struggles throughout the whole story to overcome the tragedy. His father visits him as a ghost several times, however no one else can see him. Before he can officially overcome the death he brings it to life to show others what has actually happened. This will definitely take you on an emotional rollercoaster. I gave this an 8 out of 10 star rating, because although the play and book come together there's no purpose. The ending ruins the whole story line.