Zeffirelli’s HAMLET is a dull, lifeless slog that wastes its talent.

Am amazing tour de force by Mel Gibson playing the young prince - one of the best and worth the watching!

There are better versions where you don't have to deal with Mel.

Setting aside Mel Gibson's more recent behavioral problems and questionable attitudes and opinions which, as far as I know, weren't a problem at the time, Gibson has always been a fairly competent actor. For the most part, he's not a great actor, though he's turned in some pretty good performances (Man Without a Face, for example). When it was announced he'd be playing Hamlet in the Zeffirelli production, as I recall the general reaction was "What, the Road Warrior? Riggs from Lethal Weapon? Doing Shakespeare? Are you kidding?" But, to his credit, Gibson turned in a truly competent performance. He breathes life and energy into the character, but preserves the melancholy and conflict. I recall seeing a documentary about the making of the movie which showed him working with a vocal coach to get the dialog and accent right. Whether or not the accent is right, he delivers the dialog effectively. This is an area a lot of actors not trained in Shakespearean acting fall flat. The language is generally unfamiliar to modern English speaking actors, and it can be difficult to get the flow and rhythm right. So many actors and actresses recite the lines, but don't seem to really understand the words they're saying, and it shows in how they accent the wrong words in a phrase or how the words just don't flow as they should. For a modern English audience, this can be the key to understanding the dialog. Even if you don't understand all of the words or references, the delivery can make the meaning clear. And here, Gibson does right by the Bard. The only real complaint I have with the production is the way the screenplay was truncated and somewhat rearranged. Of course, a full production of Hamlet runs over 4 hours, so truncation is necessary, it's just where the cuts are made I don't always agree with. Still, overall, Zeffirelli's production is enjoyable and the acting is, if not masterful, more than competent. I highly recommend this film.

Stone cold classic. Riveting stuff and Gibson is a revelation in the role.

It's a real shame that they've cut/shortened the play, because other than that, it's really stunning. I was very surprised at how well-put-together and intense it was.

Greatest Hamlet ever. And if you don't think so, apparently you haven't read Shakespeare.

I once watched this movie at school in English class in the ninth grade and I didn't understand anything that was going on throughout the whole entire film. I was even falling asleep during the movie because it was just so boring. The story was so horribly boring and confusing. This movie was a completely forgettable snooze-fest. The Shakespearean dialogue is outdated. I hate old English. Nobody in this movie was speaking in English, everyone was talking in Dorkanese. Why did Shakespeare have to be so intricate? Hamlet is so overrated. Most overrated play ever. I literally forgot every single scene in this film. This has to be Mel Gibson's most forgettable role and movie ever. Rating: 1.9/10

Mel Gibson should do Shakespeare more often. He's fantastic as Hamlet.

One of the best versions of Shakespeare's great tragedy ever filmed. Zeffirelli has assembled a uniformly brilliant cast and directs with economy and pace. The big surprise is how good Gibson is, playing with real intelligence and pain (and a faultless English accent). But Bates, Bonham Carter, Scofield et al match him. Highly recommended. Fine Ennio Morricone score too.

best adaptation so far,why? the crazy eyes,at any given time Gibson's HAMLET is ready to burst to anger,funny yes,scary at times agree,those black and blue lay out costumes subliminal with the atmospheric background and all the actors acting par excellence

Rating: 77% Although it is hard to follow most of the time, Mel Gibson's charismatic performance and classic story make this a must-see for many.

Have to say that Gibson is very very good in this version. After the joke Braveheart and other ridiculous things he's done, this shows what a good actor he can be when he tries. The remake of Mutiny on the Bounty is another Gibson showcase that proves it. He CAN act and be great. When he tries.

Good production and acting, boring story

great acting and very compelling

One of the best hamlets of all time.

One of the few Shakespeare stories I can stomach. Gibson can be a nuisance playing his crazy persona for the umpteenth time but solid otherwise.

good version of this Bard play

I liked the male roles but the female roles did not really fit with the mood of the movie. The actresses are good at what they do and both had a decent performance but it didn't feel right for Hamlet.

Gibson isn't an awful choice but Brannagh's version is definitely the superior of the two. Full review later.