A polished, accessible Shakespeare adaptation with strong production values and a star-driven, emotionally direct approach, but it can feel overemphatic and uneven for viewers who prefer a more textually rich or psychologically subtle Hamlet. It works best as an entry point or as a brisk, old-school prestige drama… Read more
29% ★☆☆☆☆ (42,811)
Hamlet
Where to watch: Amazon
Movie · Drama · History · PG
1990 · 2h 10m · ★ 29% (42.8K)
The extraordinary adaptation of Shakespeare's classic tale of vengeance and tragedy.
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Starring: Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Alan Bates
Overview
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, finds out that his uncle Claudius killed his father to obtain the throne, and plans revenge.
Director
Franco Zeffirelli
Production
Icon Productions, Nelson Entertainment
Cast
Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Alan Bates, Paul Scofield, Ian Holm, Helena Bonham Carter, Stephen Dillane, Nathaniel Parker, Sean Murray, Michael Maloney, Trevor Peacock, John McEnery, Richard Warwick, Christien Anholt, Dave Duffy, Vernon Dobtcheff, Pete Postlethwaite, Christopher Fairbank, Sarah Phillips, Ned Mendez
Where to watch
Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A polished, accessible Shakespeare adaptation with strong production values and a star-driven, emotionally direct approach, but it can feel overemphatic and uneven for viewers who prefer a more textually rich or psychologically subtle Hamlet. It works best as an entry point or as a brisk, old-school prestige drama rather than a definitive version.
Best for
Viewers who want a streamlined, mainstream Shakespeare adaptation
Fans of period drama and court intrigue
Students or newcomers looking for a relatively accessible Hamlet
Audiences who enjoy heightened performances and theatrical emotion
Skip if
You want a deeply introspective or experimental Hamlet
You prefer very faithful, text-heavy Shakespeare adaptations
You are sensitive to melodramatic acting choices
You want a modernized or visually radical interpretation
Overview
Franco Zeffirelli’s Hamlet is built for clarity and momentum. It trims the play into a more direct revenge drama, giving the story a muscular, accessible shape that makes the political rot of Elsinore easy to follow. The result is less labyrinthine than many Shakespeare adaptations, but also less haunted and ambiguous than the best of them.
Worth noting
Mel Gibson’s Hamlet leans into volatility and physicality rather than philosophical stillness, which gives the film an immediate, restless energy. Around him, the production feels sturdy and classical, with handsome sets, strong atmosphere, and a cast that helps sell the court as a place where grief, lust, and betrayal are always just beneath the surface.
Bottom line
The tradeoff is that the film can feel blunt where the play is most elusive. Some viewers will appreciate its straightforwardness and emotional force; others may find it too literal, too mannered, or too eager to underline what should remain unsettled. As an introduction to Hamlet, it’s effective. As a definitive screen version, it’s more divisive.
Top Letterboxd reviews
selmasvensk (2.5★) · 355 likes
Oh bro don’t kiss your mom man
shay (1★) · 314 likes
i relate to hamlet because i, too, spend most of my time distracting others and procrastinating the things i say i would do
cassie greer (1★) · 264 likes
good: reading Hamlet bad: writing a 10-page essay on Hamlet hell: being forced to watch this movie in class
ryan (2.5★) · 179 likes
Mel Gibson's mouth closes a total of three times in this movie.
edeh (2★) · 152 likes
Polonius laying dead on the floor after being stabbed while hamlet and his mother make out like 2 meters away