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Parents' Guide to

Hamlet (1996)

By Randy White, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Shakespeare's great tragedy -- all of it.

Movie PG-13 1996 266 minutes
Hamlet (1996) Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 6 parent reviews

InuzukaKana
InuzukaKana Adult
October 10, 2019
age 12+

The Best Version Everyone Needs To Watch

It's the only good film adaption of Hamlet I've ever watched. It's the truest, most beautifully portrayed, and wonderfully acted version, and it ruined all other versions of Hamlet for me because it was so perfect. Just a warning on the note of sex; there's a scene where Hamlet and Ophelia are obviously getting it on, but you don't see any nudity. The scene is repeated twice; once near the beginning and once near the end. It's fairly easy to skip or explain but if you let your kids watch it they might be twelve or older. If you skip, kids well under twelve can watch and enjoy this. I watched it when I was eight and loved it. Violence is fine, everything else is fine. It's beautiful, funny, and sad. I love it.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much sex
henryg2
henryg2 Adult
January 13, 2018
age 15+

Very faithful Hamlet

This is the most faithful adaptation of Shakespeare's play currently available. Branagh takes very few interpretive risks with the text, unlike Gibson, Jacobi, and Tennant, but while this does not make for an exciting re-reading of the play, it does provide a fantastic "baseline" to evaluate other productions. One heads-up: If you are a teacher intending to show this to a class, please be aware that there is some brief nudity in Act IV (the second half of the movie) in a very brief flashback scene in which Hamlet and Ophelia are shown naked on a bed kissing. You do not see frontal nudity, rear ends, or genitalia. More problematic is that during Ophelia's mad scene, when she is referring to "Young men will do't if they come to it," she thrusts her hips into Claudius and then lies on the floor raising and lowering her hips in a manner suggestive of intercourse. Although I personally do not find this offensive as a viewer, I have to be sensitive to the values of my community, and I strongly advise teachers who want to show this to preview this film and make sure that it's acceptable for your school, students, and district. It's an excellent production.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

This version of Shakespeare's great tragedy is a grand accomplishment -- the whole of the play without edits. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. The dead King, Hamlet's father, walks the land and Fortinbras of Norway threatens war. Hamlet's mother has abruptly married Claudius, the new King and Hamlet's uncle. Hamlet (Kenneth Branagh) is despondent and curses his mother. Meanwhile, Hamlet's lover, Ophelia (Kate Winslet) is ordered by her brother, Laertes, and father, Polonius, to avoid Hamlet. The ghost confirms that Claudius is the murderer, and Hamlet puts on a play in hopes of outing him. In a fury, Hamlet kills Polonius. Ophelia goes mad and commits suicide. Laertes challenges Hamlet to a duel in which Laertes himself is killed and Gertrude is mistakenly poisoned. Then Claudius is killed by Hamlet and Hamlet felled by a poisoned sword. Fortinbras enters and, before he dies, Hamlet pronounces him the most likely candidate to win the crown.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6 ):
Kids say (3 ):

There are a number of reasons to recommend this rousing adaptation of Hamlet. The cast is superb, and as both director and actor, Kenneth Branagh shines. The actors don't simply recite lines; they discover the meaning of Shakespeare's words as they speak them. Shot in widescreen 70mm, the movie looks gorgeous. Most versions of Hamlet are heavily edited, and this is a chance to see the entire play in all its glorious complexity.

Here is a Hamlet with all of his rage and confusion on display, a young man seeking revenge for his father's murder who hesitates to take action, his inner turmoil mirrored in the court's politics. The intricate, unedited plot runs over four hours, but the rewards are great for viewers who stick it out. Some of the celebrity cameos hit (Billy Crystal as the First Gravedigger), while some completely miss (Jack Lemmon as Marcellus), but the leads are uniformly brilliant. A bravura accomplishment and a great addition to any collection.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether it makes Shakespeare's work more accessible. Did the actors help you understand the arcane language? Why do you think the director choose to commit the entire play to film rather than trim it as other film versions do?

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