The best production of HAMLET, That I have seen. The sets were amazing, the acting especially by David Tennant and Sir Patrick Stewart was brilliant. David Tennant's performance was nothing less than extraordinary, and if you don't believe me, then believe Sir Patrick Stewart who stated in interviews that David was the finest and most talented young actor in England today. David brings the tortured soul of Hamlet to life. He runs the gambit of emotions from deep depression over his father's death to anger over the too quick marriage of his mother to his uncle - to revenge for his fathers murder by his uncle, to self pity and self doubt. David was very capable of the pretense of madness by Hamlet in front of the king, queen, and court while he plots his revenge.Other reviewers have not understood the use of the surveillance cameras, but this is to show how everyone was always under watch by the King or his men, using the cameras or hidden rooms to spy on all. At one point Tennant breaks a camera and states "Now I am alone". Plus the use of camera's and modern clothing, and the use of a helicopter by the Norwegian army against Poland give the audience of today a better understanding of Shakespeare and grounding in today's society. And what's the difference of what costume is worn as long as those beautiful words of the Bard are used, they are the important thing.I thought the supporting actors who played Laretes, Horatio, and Gertrude were great, but I thought the actors who portrayed Ophelia and Polonius were a little too one dimensional.Anyone thinking of buying this movie, will more that get their money's worth. And it's a great way to introduce your children to the beautiful prose of Shakespeare.

One wonders if this Shakespeare play has been over done in the film department. If you type it into IMDb it comes up with 73 links under the title (though some may be repeats or attempted sequels). However, the main ones that come to mind are the Kenneth Branagh version and the Mel Gibson version. This version, however, was originally performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company (I have seen their version of a Midsummers Night Dream, and it was brilliant) and they decided to bring the actors from the stage play and make a TV version of it. I didn't know that this version existed until I searched Amazon and what caught my attention was that Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard and Professor X) as well as David Tennant (Dr Who) had taken major roles in the production.We all know about Hamlet, and a lot can be said of the play itself, however I do not intend to go over old ground here but rather focus on the production itself. I must say that it was brilliant. While it has a modern setting, the setting actually takes a back seat to the play itself. This, to me, is a sign of a brilliant production as the setting simply takes a backdrop and adds colour to what is essentially one of Shakespeare's most popular works. This is something that did not happen with Ian McKellan's Richard III.There were a number of aspects that attracted me to the film, one of them being the extensive use of security cameras. It almost created a similar feel to Paranormal Activity, though the cameras were used sparingly. The second aspect was the shattered mirror. It was the shattered mirror that really caught my attention, and then after Polonius is shot, the shattered mirror seems to dominate the play from that point. We are constantly taken past it and to me this is suggestive of one of the major themes in the play, and that is how Claudius' world is falling apart. His dream of stealing the kingdom from his brother is shattered by Hamlet who is burning up inside with anger towards Claudius. Once again, it is not that Claudius stole the throne, but rather that he killed his father and married his mother.One of the reviews that I read suggested that David Tennant successfully shed the character of Dr Who in this film, however I must disagree. While I thought Tennant played the role very well, in a number of cases his madness reflected the eccentricity of the doctor. This is not surprising as I suspect that each of the actors that play the Doctor tend to bring bits of their own personality into the role so while they may go off and do other things, that aspect of their character that they took into the role of Doctor Who will tend to stick to them. However, with the exception of Peter Davidson, many of the actors that played the Doctor never really went onto anything afterwards.As for Patrick Stewart, he is brilliant. He plays a very calm and collected Claudius. While at first when Stewart began to take on other roles after Star Trek one would chuckle and think, 'gee, Captain Picard', I do believe he does not carry that stigma with him. Further, when one realises that Stewart is a Shakespearian actor more than the star of a Science-fiction soap opera, one begins to appreciate his acting skills.When it comes to Hamlet, it is not the play, the plot, or the theme that will carry the movie because we all know the play (or I hope we do). No, it is the actors and their portrayal of the characters that carries the plays. As mentioned about, the background can help, but in many cases the background should really stay in the background, unless it helps to emphasise and reflect the themes in the way that the shattered mirror in this version does.

The majority of reviews of this wonderful production of Hamlet by the Royal Shakespeare Company are positive, and offer many reasons to watch this filming of the play. However I noticed that there are a few horribly low reviews, ones and twos, that bring down the rating of this film. I read them to see why, and would like to offer counter-arguments to some of the statements. The setting: some reviewers, and I respect their opinions, found the sets,costumes, etc., unworthy of this play. It is a modernized version, though at times it seems like it is taking place long ago. However, I feel that the touches of modernism and the touches of the past go a long way towards demonstrating that this is a work that transcends time periods, it doesn't really matter when it happens. Also, for example, Tennant, as Hamlet, wears an orange, skeleton t-shirt. Many found this out of style and bad. But it depends on how you look at it, I, an English major who is familiar with dissecting Shakespeare's works, found it a sneaky foreshadowing of future events, as well as demonstrating Hamlet's attribute of wearing his heart on his sleeve.David Tennant: though most found his portrayal unique and intriguing, some say it is horrible and over the top. They also make the complaint that he is rude and makes the audience side with the villain, who never seems evil. This, however, was done on purpose. Patrick Stewart plays the counterpart, the exact opposite, of Hamlet. As well as this, there is debate over whether Hamlet was genuinely insane, or acting insane to hide his true doings and intentions. The RSC definitely chooses the second option, and David Tennant fills this role exactly, being so mad that the audience just knows its all an act to fool the King. That is not to say he isn't deeply affected by his father's death. I had never heard the lines of Hamlet spoken in this type of tone, but after finishing the play, I couldn't believe there was any other way of saying them- from Tennant the words are natural and don't sound recited at all. All in all, the acting from all of the actors is fantastic, and it is a thoroughly entertaining and riveting version of Hamlet. Even my friends, who deplore Shakespeare, were captivated until the last frame.

After seeing Branagh's version years ago, I honestly never thought it could be improved upon. However, while that version relied heavily on pageantry, this one thrives on the script. I may have minimal theater experience, but I do have an English degree and felt that this was a wonderful interpretation of the play. The difficult thing for many people is, having seen it performed before, cannot re-imagine it any other way. It's a shame to hear some of the reviewers bash the actors when we all know that no two Hamlets are (or should ever be) the same. Who's to say how it was performed during Shakespeare's time? That's the beauty of the play. In a time of constant Hollywood remakes where the original is available to be seen and borrowed from, the RSC has made it fresh and new again. I hung on the words as if hearing them for the first time, and in some cases thought of them in an entirely different fashion. Plus, as a long-time Dr. Who and Star Trek fan, it didn't feel as if I was watching the Doctor or Captain Picard performing. The staging was quite brilliant as well; it didn't distract or become a character in and of itself. The rest of the cast performed quite well and should be celebrated also.