Surprisingly good, and another side to Mel Gibson. Don't have much to do with Shakespear normally but got this free in a Sunday paper and decided to watch it. Pleasantly surprised to find me gripped enough to watch it all the way through.

When I saw this on TV a few weeks ago, I was mesmerized. For the first time in my life I actually understood the story of 'Hamlet' and could follow what was going on. I even found myself saying some of the lines from bits and pieces I'd learned over the years, only this time I was able to put them in context.

Some snobs might scoff at the way films like this bring Shakespeare to the masses, but I like to think that it would be Shakespeare who would be scoffing at the snobs. Indeed I think he'd be delighted with this particular effort, though of course I doubt the complete text is in this rendition, in the interest of brevity.

I'd say if you were curious about Shakespeare but were too intimidated to take it any further, this version of 'Hamlet', as well as the Franco Zeffirelli version of 'Romeo & Juliet' would be a good place to start.

I am currently studying Hamlet, and found this film version excessively irritating. Although some of the acting is good (Ian Holme's Polonius is remarkably well cast, and Nathanial Parker makes a fantastic Laertes), in my opinion the whole film is let down by the lead, played by Mel Gibson. It is hard enough to make people enthusastic about Hamlet (who do not have a natural flair for English or Shakespeare), and I thought that his rather over-acted and confused performance did nothing to lend itself to the play as a whole. It seemed to me that he did not understand the language, and as a result the words were muddled and lacking in impact. Helena Bonham Carter's Ophelia was well performed if lacking in poignancy, but combined with Glenn Close's biddable Gertrude they did little justice to the female parts. All in all ,I thought that this version of Hamlet was well produced, but inadequately acted.

Purists of English literature would perhaps discredit this masterpiece of a film for its manipulation, and somewhat removal, of some scenes from Shakespeare's great revenge tragedy. However, the amazing acting from this all-star cast and the excellecent setting and realism of the film more than compensates. Highlights include the scenes demonstrating Ophelia's madness, a fantastically Freudian interpretation of the famous III.iv scene between Hamlet and Gertrude, and the breath-taking final scene. Credit must also be given for their ability to caputre the realism of Hamlet's many soliloquies and the Ghost as an Elizabethan audience would have seen it.The greatest interpretation of Shakespeare on this silver screen? My only criticism is the lack of any extra features on the DVD, hence only 4/5 stars.

With casting Mel Gibson as lead, this film was always going to attract a type of movie goer that would probably not normally see a Shakespeare production. Hence it's no suprise that we don't have 100% theatrical authenticity here, it is perhaps (or was at the time) a suprise to see just how good Gibson's performance is. Intense and broody, it manages to convey the confusion of a mind being torn apart by fate in a way that is more convincing and watchable than Branagh's. The whole film is entertaining while still managing to bring something new to the much feasted upon Shakespearean table, just what every film adaptation of the bard's works should try to do.