Among the three times I’ve participated in the Classic Literature on Film Blogathon, I reviewed To Kill a Mockingbird, 1948’s The Three Musketeers, and The Grapes of Wrath. Looking back on these selections, I’m surprised I haven’t chosen a title from William Shakespeare sooner. In fact, as of July, 2026, the only Shakespeare adaptation I covered on 18 Cinema Lane (so far) is the 2000 film, Romeo Must Die, which I reviewed all the way back in 2019. So, you could say another article about a Shakespeare adaptation is long overdue. Because it fits the criteria for the Classic Literature on Film Blogathon and because it was recommended by Hamlette (from Hamlette’s Soliloquy), I will review the 2000 television movie, Hamlet! Similar to Romeo Must Die, the TV film version of Hamlet is a “modern” adaptation of a famous William Shakespeare story. But this time, the production “is revisioned in America at the turn of the 20th Century” (according to IMDB). Did I enjoy watching Hamlet as much as or more than Romeo Must Die? Thanks for joining me for this review, as we’re now about to answer that question!
Things I liked about the film:
The acting: Campbell Scott portrays Hamlet in the 2000 adaptation of William Shakespeare’s story. If I could describe Campbell’s performance in one word, it would be ‘fluid’! During the famous “To be or not to be” monologue, Campbell adopts a variety of facial expressions, vocal inflections, emotions through the eyes, and even movements of the head to showcase Hamlet’s ever-changing mood. Not only that, Campbell’s transitions between emotions are so effortless, Hamlet possesses a captivating presence within the movie. Ophelia also has a captivating presence in Hamlet! Portrayed by LisaGay Hamilton, Ophelia’s expressions of emotion always appeared genuine. A great example is when she is sharing her concerns about Hamlet with her father, Polonius. With a furrow in her brow and speaking carefully in a calm yet concerned voice, Ophelia gives her father (and the audience) a reason to take note of her serious observations. Blair Brown delivers a strong performance as well, portraying Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude! Whether frightened by the horrifying emotional deterioration of her son to her joy as she awaits the start of a play, Blair carries her character so believably, it was easy to forget I was watching an actress portray a character. What worked in her performance’s favor was her understanding of how and when to utilize emotions to her advantage. Even though I liked the three performances mentioned, I thought the cast as a whole was strong!
The set design: The original source material of Hamlet revolves around royalty. This component of the text was translated to the 2000 adaptation, as Hamlet and his family are sometimes referred to by their royal titles. Since the majority of this film version of Hamlet takes place within Hamlet’s family’s home, the set design effectively represented their opulence. Home décor pieces, like gold sconces, rich wood furniture, and ornate rugs, found their place throughout the story. Chairs boasted intricately woven designs, appearing as their own form of art. Carved detailing was present on a wooden staircase, a stone fireplace, and even on a ceiling in one scene. Smaller pieces of set design were not overlooked either, such as a burning piece of paper being placed on a silver platter. Not only did Hamlet’s set design make its project visually elegant, it complimented Shakespeare’s source material as well!
Use of music: When a movie’s creative team incorporates music into their project, the intended mood of a given scene can be elevated. This is how the creative team behind Hamlet approached the musical element of the 2000 adaptation. Whenever a suspenseful moment took place, such as the ghost of Hamlet’s father suddenly appearing, the rhythmic sound of drums played in the background. Because the sound of the drums was loud and with the drums possessing a quicker rhythm, the feelings of fear, confusion, and even irritation rose among the characters who could visualize the ghost for themselves. Raised adrenaline from the audience can also happen because of the drum music’s incorporation within Hamlet. That music contributes to a viewer’s feeling of being on the edge of the seat, eager to discover what will happen next!
What I didn’t like about the film:
Shakespearian speech in a “modern” story: As I mentioned in my Romeo Must Die review, I was not a fan of Romeo + Juliet. The reason is how the characters adopt Shakespearian speech while the movie appears to take place in 1995-1996. The 2000 adaptation of Hamlet makes the same creative choice. Like I brought up in this review’s introduction, Hamlet “is revisioned in America at the turn of the 20th Century”. So, the references to kings, Denmark, and Norway don’t make sense. Having the characters speak in the Shakespearian manner sounds jarring, as it breaks the illusion of immersion of the late 1800s to early 1900s presented on screen. Because I don’t hear Shakespearian speech often, I not only had to actively pay attention to what was happening in the film (or else I would have missed important context), I was sometimes confused by what the characters were saying. This aspect of the project became a frustrating part of my movie-viewing experience.
Forgotten storylines: Ophelia’s brother, Laertes, desires to travel to France. Even though their father, Polonius, allows Laertes to journey to France, he has his doubts of whether his son will behave himself in a gentlemanly fashion while there. This storyline from Hamlet became forgotten as the film progressed. That was due to the script prioritizing Hamlet’s downward spiral. Even though Laertes returns later in the movie, his trip to France wasn’t brought up. I was disappointed Laertes’ French travels didn’t play a bigger role in the 2000 adaptation of Hamlet, as there was potential for that narrative to be intriguing. However, I’m not sure how much influence Laertes’ adventure through France had in the original source material.
The run-time: The Hamlet adaptation from 2000 received a run-time of two hours and fifty-eight minutes (according to IMDB). Similar to my thoughts on Gods and Generals and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Hamlet’s run-time could certainly be felt. The pace of Hamlet is mostly slower, with a few action-packed, suspenseful scenes incorporated into the story. That, along with the movie’s two hour and fifty-eight-minute run-time, makes the 2000 adaptation feel unnecessarily stretched out. Like my experience watching The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, I was zoning in and out while watching Hamlet, trying not to fall asleep during this movie-viewing experience. Had the 2000 adaptation of Hamlet been split into two parts, like Hallmark’s 2004 adaptation of Frankenstein, the movie wouldn’t run the risk of feeling like an endurance test.
My overall impression:
To review or not to review, that is the question (ok, I couldn’t resist making that reference, especially in this review). Back in 2019, I shared in my Romeo Must Die review how much I liked that film. Because it was a “modern” adaptation of Romeo and Juliet featuring martial arts, the 2000 movie was successfully able to create a unique version of William Shakespeare’s story. Seven years later, after watching the 2000 adaptation of Hamlet, I find the picture just ok. The creative team behind Hamlet had visual ambition, setting their interpretation “in America at the turn of the 20th Century”. This ambition could be seen in the set and costume design, attempting to bring the late 1800s to early 1900s back to life through elegance and historical accuracy. But having the characters adopt Shakespearian speech breaks that illusion of immersion. Having a two hour and fifty-eight-minute run-time also negatively impacts the film’s chances for rewatchability. However, the cast as a whole gave strong performances, with everyone doing a good job, acting wise, with the material they received. The movie itself is also a competently made project, incorporating elements that enhanced the movie-viewing experience, such as the use of music. But at the end of the year, when I look back on the movies I’ve seen (and even reviewed), the adaptation of Hamlet from 2000 will not be a film I reflect on as fondly as other films.
Overall score: 6-6.1 out of 10
Have you seen the 2000 adaptation of Hamlet? Are there any “modern” adaptations of William Shakespeare’s stories you’d like to check out? Please share your thoughts in the comment section!
Have fun at the movies!
Sally Silverscreen
18 Cinema Lane 