To Be Shakespeare, or not to Be Shakespeare, That Is the Question

There are so many ways this work can be interpreted and acted out, and that makes it hard to be critical when there is no standard to compare it to. This film was Kenneth Branaugh's vision of Hamlet, and so to him it is magnificent. To myself, this film had many brilliant spots and was very thorough and well acted out. However, at times, the action and music became a bit overwhelming. Perhaps Branaugh got a little to caught up in the moment, it is hard to say. The silent plays that were shown throughout ( King Hamlet's death, the drowned Ophelia, Hamlet's childhood days with Yurich, Priam's slaughter, Fortinbras) added a lot to the film, because it gave the characters a history and allowed for a non-shakespearean audience to better understand what was being said. The adaptation from play to film is not always very easy, and obviously some changes have to occur. Branaugh's version of Hamlet definitely had some additions, but it still captured the essence of Shakespeare making it an interesting piece of work, and an enjoyable film.…