HAMLET (1996)
A film review by Jun Yan
Copyright 1996 Jun Yan
I think just about everyone knows what the story is, so I won't bother to reiterate it. Here is only my comments on Kenneth Branagh's production. I saw it in 70mm version. It didn't struck me as particularly large, but the color and the texture of the picture is incredibly beautiful, with equally stunning art design, costume and sound effect. The castle was most magnificent both exterior and interior. I cannot give higher praise to the richness of the color. Comparing to the famous version of Lawrence Olivier, this Hamlet is brighter, bolder, and more contemporary, and of course, more violent. I have mixed feelings about including all the sometimes unimportant details of the play into the film, characters who show up for 5 minutes and never seen again, and casting familiar movie stars (mostly American) in minor roles. All the important roles are performed, with good to great effect, by British actors, which makes it serious enough, but the cameos give me a feeling of watching a parody -- not that I dislike it. I think enough people have pointed out the flatness of Jack Lemmon as Marcellus, but Robin Williams gave me the most distraction. He's the material of a lead actor, and his mere presence can make American audience chuckle. He looks very self-conscious at the moment meant to be tragic (when we know that Hamlet doesn't know that he's about to be killed by a poisoned sword). And when he was stabbed to death, it has a rather strange effect. I would rather see this role played by a nameless actor. Other American actors are fairly good in their 10-min to half-hour play. Billy Crystal gave the appropriate touch to the gravedigger, but again I felt like watching a parody of Hamlet. When Billy pullled out a whole row of sculls and bones, I told me friend next to me: "This is not the royal clown's grave, it's John Wayne Gacy's backyard!" Then we both missed the famous speech by Hamlet holding the scull. I mean one scull is enough! The whole film struck me as very uneven and kind of strange as to what KB had been doing. Most parts are made excellently and acted beautifully. KB himself is adequate as the prince. Kate Winslet, IMHO, is better than any other Ophelia I've seen and has a slight edge over other actors in the whole movie. Claudius and Gertude are played well. All the major supporting actors are better than average and are given sufficient time on the screen so that we get to know not only the big players. I especially like the sympathy and explanation given to Ophelia's brother. But there are always sloppy details that bother me. The most laughable is the ghost of old Hamlet. I can't believe how cheesy the special effects are when the ground shakes and steam comes out and thunders roar. We laughed so hard at this point that we missed another speech about how great the old king was and how much he misses him. :) Now I see why Frankenstein was such a flop. KB's special effects are almost as good as Ed Wood's! And the flashback of the fat little boy with a horrible wig as young Hamlet. There are waaaaayyyy too many flashbacks made in a waaaayyy too simplistic fashion as if their sole purpose is to spoonfeed the stupid audience with pictures accompanying the difficult Shakespearian language. I felt a little insulted. The nude scenes of Ophelia and Hamlet having sex have offended many experts, but I thought it was credible in this particular time period in this film. Yet when Gertude describes Ophelia's death, I sat and waited for them to show the touching image of O's drowning and was disappointed with only one shot. I do NOT understand what was going on. It's such an unbalanced production that greatness and silliness co-exist. Did KB hire some really really incompetent filmmaker or was he having short attention span? This Hamlet looks, IMHO, more ruthless and cynical. The film looks quite violent and bloody. My fragile friend had to cover her eye when the camera repeatedly goes back to the pool of blood in the Queen's bedroom. The ending was very bloody too. When the sword flies and nails Claudius, I had a strange feeling that KB would be interested in making something like "Reservoir Dogs." But I liked that scene very much. The death scene of Hamlet was OK, but it does not surpass Mel Gibson's death scene. This film is, as I said, a very unbalanced production. Because of Winslet's great performance (which has not been adequately recognized :P), I give it an A-.
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