HAMLET *** 1/2 out of **** No indecision here - this is a winning HAMLET Branagh's HAMLET should be the definitive version of the play on film at least for the immediate future. His HAMLET is an exhilarating experience (one should not wait for this to come out on video) and his interpretation will survive the moment - can the same be said for Baz Luhrmann's ROMEO AND JULIET, for example? Branagh's interpretation, often punctuated by flashbacks to emphasize the text or to allude meaning, though unadventurous, not straying too far from the text, is nevertheless a solid one that tends towards pomposity, as will be evident in the final scene. The final act will not seem out of place in a film so visually sumptuous, although this sumptuousness is uneven at spots; the shabby splitting earth special effects, boiling and bubbling, and the occasional sets are unconvincing compared with the heights he achieves. The mirrored throne room is put to great use as reflecting the court's glory as well as its deceptions; witness the "To be or not to be" soliloquy delivered by Branagh in front of his reflection, as well as the scenes bookending this. Branagh portrays Hamlet as a strong-willed and intelligent prince enraged by his father's murder, and he convinces in all of Hamlet's emotional wrenchings. There is a minor piddling: I'm afraid Branagh betrays his stage background in his line delivery; when he's loud, he is very loud. There is no middle ground to the volume of his delivery. Most damaging to HAMLET is the loudness - both in volume and garishness - of the musical score. Do I betray my favourable experiences with Hamlet as those I've seen on stage when I say I prefer my soliloquies unscored? At best the musical score here is unremarkable and rather elementary. At its worst the score is downright distracting. This is most obvious in the "To be or not to be" soliloquy, a moment of supposed quiet contemplation. Many times I found myself absorbed in the film only to find the score jarring me out of it - highly upsetting since it occurs at key scenes and too frequently. This, and the shoddy effects, are glaring faults in an otherwise very fine film. Branagh should consider releasing an unscored version instead of a two and a half hour one. Branagh employs familiar names, I suppose to make HAMLET more marketable, to uneven results. The atrocious acting of Jack Lemmon as Marcellus will be more than obvious, and unfortunately Marcellus lingers on far too long. Neither Billy Crystal nor Robin Williams were convincing, the former annoyingly coy while the latter almost reprising his mannerisms in THE BIRDCAGE. Charlton Heston convincingly plays himself. The non-American actors are faultless, all giving highly commendable performances. Kate Winslet's Ophelia was particularly affecting, especially in her confrontation with Hamlet where he urges her on to the nunnery, and I admit I feel ungracious in singling her out. I exited the theatre with a smile on my face awed by it all. Branagh's HAMLET consistently employs glory and bombast to winning effect. No indecision. Review completed on December 29, 1996. |