A Formal Review Of The 1996 Film Hamlet Directed By Kenneth Branagh (Essay Sample)

Name: Professor: Course: Date: Topic: Formal Review of the 1996 Film Hamlet Directed by Kenneth Branagh. Introduction Hamlet without doubt is the most striking film I have eve watched. I can keep watching time again and again. These actors took a central role in the play; Hamlet- son of the King, Gertrude-Mother to Hamlet and Widow to the King, Claudius-Hamlets Step Father, Polonious- advisor to King, Laertes, Horatio, Rosencrantz and Guildenstein among others. Hamlet is the son to the deceased King Hamlet. Immediately after King Hamlet was murdered Gertrude quickly married Claudius. Claudius was a brother to King Hamlet, as a result he ascended to the throne and became Hamlets juniors step father. At this sudden turn of events, a ghost that resembles King Hamlet appears to two young men and with that they decide to bring Horatio a friend of Hamlet to be a witness. Keep in mind that Hamlet since the demise of his father has been in a foul mood. Claudius scolds him for being sentimental about his fathers death for a long time. One day after the kings assembly the evening was cold and chilly while hamlet was strolling around the castle the famous ghost that his friend Horatio had narrated to him appears to him, the ghost informs Hamlet that King Hamlet his father was killed by Claudius and therefore he should embark on a revenge mission to avenge his fathers death. Hamlet agrees and thinks this is the best thing that has every happened to him. Immediately the ghost disappears into thin air. He goes ahead and narrates his encounter with the ghost to his colleague Horatio (Shakespeare 98). Hamlet decides to change his character to psychopath, and takes an oath of secrecy into his mission. King Claudius and Queen Gertrude are perturbed by Hamlets behaviour, they inwardly fear that Hamlet is going nuts and invites two of his friends to try to investigate and find out what actually ails him. However, these two guys Hamlet handles them with caution and to a high extend exaggerating his irrational character. At this time Hamlet is determined to establish if King Claudius had a hand in the death of his father. He stages a play where a King called Gonzago is to be murdered. His intention was to closely monitor Claudius reaction and too know if the ghost had given him the right information. In the play a love story develops between Hamlet and Ophelia, though it is a shaky affair intrigued by many obstacles. Time comes for Hamlet to stage his play. The assembly is called, people of different ranks sit down patiently to watch, the play displays a king being poisoned by pouring poison through his ear; Claudius raged with anger swings into motion out of the room proof that he was guilty of King Hamlets death. A furious Gertrude summons the son to her chambers for investigations, Hamlet finds Claudius kneeling in a repentant mood he dismisses the idea of killing him in this state for believed he would have straight headed to heaven. Unfortunately Polonius was listening to the conversation he interrupted the conversation with a sound behind the curtain, Hamlet stubs at him thinking its Hamlet. Claudius learns of what happened, he becomes a worried man, for the simple reason that Hamlet turned it a joke when he was explaining where he disposed Polonius body. The fear of death pushes the King to put Hamlet into the company of his two friends Rosencrantz and Guildensten for a journey to the King of England with strict orders to execute Hamlet. When Polonius dies Ophelia gets into emotional depression and goes completely berserk, Laertes arrives with a lot of bile about the unfortunate events in his family. Claudius seizes the opportunity and points an accusing finger to Hamlet. Hamlet miraculously returns to Denmark dealing a big blow to the Kings plan. The king decides to set up a duel between Hamlet and Laertes. A plot is hatched to use poisoned spears against Hamlet and if he manages to escape he will handed a poisoned wine by Claudius. Ophelia drowned at this time. It was a double grief for Leartes. On the the day Ophelia was being laid to rest Hamlet and Horatio surfaces. Hamlet confesses his love for...