The best Shakespeare adaptation of all time and the second greatest film ever. Epic, thrilling, exquisitely acted, Ken Branagh takes the greatest play ever written and creates a masterpiece of epic proportions. Stunning, magnificent, exquisite, mind blowing, a film everyone should see and then some. Masterpiece doesn't do it justice.

Hamlet's madness is portrayed well.

The best adaptation of the best play (including screenplay) ever penned to paper. Shakespeare's work is deeply profound, thought provoking, and timeless, speaking to subjects that are relevant to the human condition in all times and places, and doing so in ways that touch and rend the heart, and Kenneth Branagh absolutely does it justice. Contains SOME unfortunate casting choices (Marcellus definitely just reading straight off the script, for example), but it can't dull the accomplishment achieved here. I first watched this film at a mere 10 years old, and though Shakespeare's writing baffled me at the time, the sheer acting prowess and emotive delivery of the lines allowed me even then to understand most of what was happening and being discussed and found it compelling even for a child. Today as I watch it for the couple dozenth time with a nearly fluent grasp on the language, it moves me to tears. Hollywood has done wrong by Shakespeare for ages with adaptation after adaptation of stale, emotionless line deliveries from actors who very obviously don't understand what they're even saying, but Kenneth Branagh blows all other adaptations out of the water and delivers a performance that I believe even Shakespeare himself would have applauded.

Kenneth Branagh's masterwork, 'Hamlet' doesn't waste any time with its unique interpretation of the story that somehow manages to fit the entire playscript in it's lengthy runtime.

The quality and character of this film is truly amazing. I don't know about comparing this production with other treatments, I simply felt like I was deep into Shakespeare's mind seeing a vision for this story that was outstanding. Top notch on every level.

To be or not to be a good film adaptation? Yes, sweet prince, yes. Goodnight :) RIP Robin

Too boring. Too long, nonsense.

Branagh's action... Just awesome.

The best movie costumes ever designed!

This is my favorite film adaptation of a Shakespeare play. The graveyard scene alone is worth the price of admission.

Three and a half hours into a massive cinematic adaptation of Hamlet, the resolve is waning and the desire for Shakespearean theatrics faltering. But then, Robin Williams shows up, and all of a sudden you sit up in your chair in surprise. Busting out the old 70mm for that David Lean film epic visual flair, Hamlet is a sweeping exercise in practical film production, featuring grand sets and a massive cohort of extras to give the level of royal scale that a stage rendition could only ever imply. With a runtime suitable to encompass literally the entirety of the dialogue of one of the most immediately recognizable plays of the single greatest author in the English language, the cinematic adaptation certainly goes through highs and lows (highlighting content that a more budget-conscious production would have left out, and seeing dramatic turns slip into hammy territory once in a while), but overall maintains a high standard and a bevy of acting talent of the day (including Jack Lemmon and Billy Crystal? The latter is surprisingly well-matched to his role as First Gravedigger, but those accents certainly stand out among the posh vocal patterns of Shakespeare veterans like Derek Jacobi). When you're working with dialogue and narrative as classic as this, it's hard to go wrong unless you slip into self-parody. Branagh gives a solid performance, leaping into the facade of madness that Hamlet puts up with a particular flair that is difficult to picture reading the material, and the vision of the adaptation with a transposed setting comes off rather well. Overall pretty solid, a well-produced adaptation that conveys the human aspects of the characters well, particularly the less serious elements. (3.5/5)

The standard of a Hamlet film will always attach this movie with the pace that we would slowly read Hamlet in my Jr year in High school. and then once seeing the Movie all the Lessons and emotions of the Literature now made sense. Shakespeare will always be the best!

Some of the added stuff is unnecessary, but the unabridged dialogue surprisingly works in the 19th century setting for a faithful adaptation.

Kenneth Branagh's adaptation manages to bring to life Shakespeare's classic play in a delightful yet tiring 4 hour showcase of acting prowess.

Una desafortunada adaptación de Hamlet.

Long and funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had to watch this as a part of a writing class, well worth the watch.

I am not a huge fan of Hamlet, but if you are going to watch it, this is the one to see.

Generally speaking, I'm a fan of Branagh and have a love of the work of Shakespeare. I was waiting for the release of this movie with great anticipation, and was happy to sit through the 4+ hour experience in the theater. On one hand, I have to say that Branah was something of a genius here, to film and produce the play in its entirety (I believe this is the first and only major motion picture adaptation of the full-text of the play). In doing so, he's guaranteed ongoing sales from rentals and streaming by high school and college students well into the future. The film is also a spectacle. Filmed in 70mm format, much of the cinematography is dazzling. And the production also supports an all-star cast including many of Branagh's favorite collaborators as well as a number of big names filling small roles, such as Billy Crystal as the grave digger, Robin Williams as Osric, and Charlton Heston as the Player King. For all that, for me, the movie falls a little flat. In a few place, Branagh, as Hamlet, breaks the fourth wall. But it's done only in a few places, and feels inconsistent and awkward. The use of big-name actors also feels gratuitous. But, for me, the biggest disappointment was Branagh's overall interpretation of the character. He felt too frenzied and frenetic rather than the common interpretation of melancholy. Branagh's Hamelt seems to be more bipolar in a manic phase. As a result, some of the dialog he presents feels too energetic and over affected. Derek Jacobi, on the other hand, plays Claudius masterfully, and his interactions with Hamlet are some of the best acting in the production. I also find the interpretation of the ghost of Hamlet's father to be over-done and simply out of place in the film, which is a shame because Brian Blessed's part could have been portrayed much better (no commentary on Blessed's acting, but on Branagh's interpretation and direction). In the end, however, the movie is still worth the time and still stands as a definitive version on film.

I'm rather confused as to why this was so highly rated. In all of my film going experiences, this film was for sure one of the worst of the bunch. The Shakespearean classic still remains a marvellous example of excellent storytelling, however Branagh executed the film adaptation in many regards. The transitions were sloppy, there was little to no quality cinematography, he overdid it with the exposition by committing to the original text fully, and the actors seemed to lack sincere emotion. Perhaps the worst of all, however, was that Branagh was so enamoured with the original text that he lacked real vision needed to craft a film of quality and his own essence.