SYNOPSIS: A bold, modern version of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, “Hamlet” stars Riz Ahmed on the title character’s quest for revenge and justice.
CAST: Riz Ahmed, Morfydd Clark, Joe Alwyn, Sheeba Chaddha, Avijit Dutt, Art Malik, Timothy Spall, Aneil Karia,
REVIEW: Riz Ahmed brings an electrifying energy to an adaptation of “Hamlet” that maintains Shakespeare’s archaic words and inverted syntax, but thrillingly modernizes the story’s themes of vengeance, madness and mortality.
Set against a backdrop of London’s South Asian community, the film begins with Riz Ahmed as Hamlet, heir to his family’s property development empire Elsinore Construction, returning home from abroad to attend his father’s funeral.
From the ghost of his late father, he learns his uncle Claudius (Art Malik) is responsible for the death, knocking off the elder to take control of his business and marry his widow Gertrude (Sheeba Chaddha). “My uncle is the cause of all this,” Hamlet rages. “There is a villain dwelling in our home.”
Overcome with anger, Hamlet embarks on a journey of manufactured madness and moral torment fueled by bloody revenge. “It’s common, my son,” says Gertrude. “All that lives must die.”
There are a few omissions in this new telling of the tale—poor Yorik doesn’t make the cut—but Shakespeare’s greatest hits are, by and large, used to good effect. Hamlet’s most famous soliloquy, the “To be, or not to be” speech, is highlighted, delivered as the Prince aggressively careens through London traffic.
Most importantly, the spirit of the Bard remains, even if the screenplay by British playwright Michael Lesslie embellishes the language with Hindi/Urdu words and phrases. The result is a psychological thriller, harsh and intense, that honors its literary roots but brings an immediacy and excitement to the story.
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark, or, in this case London, and it’s the vivid thematic stench of treachery and corporate and personal greed that is infused into every frame.
“Hamlet” benefits from director Aneil Karia’s streamlining of the story—down to 114 minutes from the original 4-5 hours—the performances and the vibrant visuals and music derived from the film’s South Asian influences.
Unlike Joel Coen’s 2001 “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” which leaned into a theatrical look and feel, Karia embraces the realism of “Hamlet’s” themes and big city setting, highlighting the film’s urgency with an energetic cinematic vibe.
