Ken Branagh: The Man, The Myth, The Legend

Ken Branagh's version of Hamlet completely blew my mind. First off, it was the most realistic of the three movies we watched. It can't get any closer to the real play other than using every single line. The setting Branagh creates also seems to be the exact same setting Shakespeare wanted when he wrote the play hundreds of years ago. The opening scene is dark, cold, and eerie, which is exactly what one would expect during a nighttime visit from a ghost. The other two movies didn't even include the opening scene! The biggest accomplishment of Branagh in his movie is his depiction of the character of Hamlet. He looks exactly the way I imagined him in my head while reading the play. Hamlet has an evil look to his face that makes the viewer feel like he is a sinister human being. The way he talks under his breath also makes him come across as vengeful and cold. Hamlet even wears black at the wedding although everyone else is wearing white or red. Hence, Ken Branagh's movie is the closest to the real play and perfectly portrays every aspect about Shakespeare's masterpiece.