Film Review – Hamlet (2025)

      Hamlet, 2025.

      Directed by Aneil Karia.

      Featuring Riz Ahmed, Morfydd Clark, Timothy Spall, Art Malik, Jasmine Jobson, Sheeba Chaddha, Joe Alwyn, and Avijit Dutt.

      SYNOPSIS:

      Hamlet returns home for his father's funeral and discovers his uncle Claudius marrying his grieving mother Gertrude. The ghost of his father reveals that Claudius murdered him, propelling Hamlet toward thoughts of vengeance and self-reflection.

      While aiming to provide a contemporary interpretation of William Shakespeare’s classic Hamlet, it is somewhat disappointing that this ambition does not extend to modifying the dialogue; instead, it relies on the original text, which can come across as awkward when delivered by modern characters. This esteemed play can be adapted into various time periods, alternate realities, and has seen countless reinterpretations (just last year showcased both a compelling imagined origin story of the play and a vibrant anime adaptation), encompassing ideas from talking animals to biker gangs, demonstrating virtually limitless potential.

      With this perspective, the decision by director Aneil Karia and Michael Lesslie to maintain Shakespeare’s dialogue while setting the story in a 21st-century corporate landscape feels either like a lackluster effort or perhaps a lack of faith in their creative capabilities.

      Regardless of the rationale, this places significant pressure on Riz Ahmed, who plays the lead role, to engage deeply with the dialogue and maximize the impact of each eloquent speech and soliloquy. He does give a captivating performance as Hamlet, complemented by the effective shaky cam work from cinematographer Stuart Bentley that highlights his escalating anxiety, uncertainty, internal conflict, and madness, as he immerses himself in well-known, impactful passages (though it’s worth noting this is a streamlined adaptation with some composite characters, the overdependence on the original text still persists). While these concepts are solid in theory, they sometimes come off as unintentionally funny, such as the “to be or not to be” moment occurring during a reckless drive down a highway.

      Set within a South Asian family in London, the filmmakers also miss the opportunity to explore the intriguing racial dynamics. There is an impressive cultural dance sequence that stands out for its choreography and vivid color scheme while cleverly conveying an important plot element. However, this creativity seems to mark the bounds of their innovation despite the rich potential for a unique retelling.

      The storyline is, well, Hamlet. The title character, from a rather harsh family, grieves his father’s death (Avijit Dutt) while largely avoiding the intrigue and scheming occurring between his uncle Claudius (Art Malik) and other corporate figures like business partner Polonius (Timothy Spall) and his son Laertes (Joe Alwyn, who is Ophelia’s (Morfydd Clark) brother; she is someone the prince is increasingly drifting away from). Claudius plans to marry Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude (Sheeba Chaddha), mainly to facilitate a business merger in this version.

      The rest of the cast does not receive much development beyond minimal modifications that don’t make significant differences. When Hamlet’s father appears as a ghost to reveal the dark truth of his murder by poison, it propels Hamlet into a journey of suppressed rage, occasionally directed inward for lacking the resolve to take action.

      Unless one has a strong appreciation for Shakespeare’s dialogue being voiced in unusual contexts and times, there’s ample reason to watch Hamlet for Riz Ahmed’s performance and the film’s aesthetic (including its ceremonial flair and striking costume design). Surprisingly, it is also a much more violent film than one might anticipate with respect to a singular death.

      However, stating that this version of Hamlet fulfills its premise would be overstating it. It is overly reliant on the hope that the dialogue resonates in a contemporary setting, which could alienate those who have not recently revisited the text. The filmmakers seem to straddle the line between a straightforward remake and a re-imagining, having perhaps not contemplated what it truly means to be or not to be.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★

      Robert Kojder