Hamlet

7/3/2026

Initially, I was quite encouraged by the shorter duration of this tale of the Prince of Denmark, but as it unfolded I began to realise that it was usually nearer the four hour mark because there is so much detail to the plot that actually matters - and that this overly condenses much of the nuanced characterisation out of the proceedings. To be fair to Mel Gibson, he actually turns in an half decent performance at the heart of this tale of duplicity and murder. His "Hamlet" is convinced that his uncle "Claudius" (Alan Bates) has done away with his father, the king, and then married his mother "Gertrude" (Glenn Close) to legitimise his claim to the throne. Egged on by the apparition of his late dad (Paul Schofield) he becomes obsessed with seeking revenge and as that red-eyed monster takes