Hamlet
1996 · Movie · PG-13 · 242 min · ★ 7.3 · 90% critics
A young prince returns home to learn his father has been murdered and his mother has married his uncle, while a tense political conflict grows around them. As he reacts to betrayal and corruption, he becomes consumed by the search for truth and what should be done next.
Based on Hamlet
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Details
- Years
- 1996
- Release date
- 1996-12-25
- Language
- English
- Rated
- PG-13
- Runtime
- 242 min
- Critic score
- 90/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.3/10 (511 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this epic, star-studded Hamlet adaptation if you want an immersive, dialogue-heavy classic with a grand setting and sustained tension; Not for you if you dislike 4+ hour films or find Shakespeare’s language hard, like Henry V (1989) or Much Ado About Nothing (1993) fans might prefer.
Pros: ambitious full-text adaptation; stellar ensemble; regal castle atmosphere | Cons: very long runtime; hard-to-follow dialogue; uneven pacing
Themes
- mother
- denmark
- loss of loved one
- prince
- based on play or musical
- madness
- aggressive
- complex
- antagonistic
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Original Dramatic Score · 1997 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Production Design · 1997 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Costume Design · 1997 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay · 1997 · nominated
Cast & crew
Kenneth Branagh
as Prince Hamlet
Derek Jacobi
as King Claudius
Kate Winslet
as Ophelia
Julie Christie
as Gertrude
Richard Briers
as Polonius
Nicholas Farrell
as Horatio
Rufus Sewell
as Fortinbras
Reece Dinsdale
as Guildenstern
Timothy Spall
as Rosencrantz
Michael Maloney
as Laertes
Directed by Kenneth Branagh