Hamlet is director-writer-actor Kenneth Branagh's adaption of William Shakespeare's famed play of the same name. Branagh is perhaps best-known for his Shakespeare adaptions, so his involvement in the adaption of Hamlet is no surprise. Branagh's version is likewise the first adaption of Hamlet to cover the entire play totally and faithfully. Thus, the film tells the story of the titular Hamlet (played by Branagh himself) who is deeply hurt and saddened to learn that his father was murdered by the King of his country, Claudius (played by Derek Jacobi). When Hamlet decides to seek revenge for his fathers death, he instead kills Polonius, the father of his lover, which causes a chain reaction of awfulness.
Reads the Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus of the film: "Kenneth Branagh's sprawling, finely textured adaptation of Shakespeare's masterpiece lives up to its source material, using strong performances and a sharp cinematic focus to create a powerfully resonant film that wastes none of its 246 minutes." Famed film critic Roger Ebert also loved the film, writing: "Branagh's version moved me, entertained me and made me feel for the first time at home in that doomed royal court."
The film was also nominated for a litany of Academy Awards, including: Best Adapted Screenplay for Branagh, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score. Still, it was a box office bomb, making only $4.7 million at the box office against a budget of nearly $18 million (likely because the studio gave the film a limited release). Branagh's version of Hamlet will likely be remembered as a classic adaption of Shakespeare's work; it will not, however, likely be remembered as a classic film.
