The Tragedy of HAMLET

 

   

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres from director Aneil Karia, writer Michael Lesslie, William Shakespeare, and Vertical is the story of a man and the story of his family in HALMET.

Arriving in London, Prince Hamlet (Riz Ahmed) has returned home to attend his father, the King’s, funeral. His sadness becomes complicated when his uncle Claudius (Art Malik) announces the marriage to Hamlet’s mother, Queen Gertrude (Sheeba Chaddha). Having difficulty with the twisted news, friend Laertes (Joe Alwyn) decides to take Hamlet out for a night on the town for drinks and loud music.

Leaving the party having drunk too much, Hamlet sees the ghost of his father, who wants revenge. Not only for his death, but also for the loss of the King’s wife and crown. Hamlet is overcome with what he learns and turns to Ophelia (Morfydd Clark) with what he learned. Determined to discover the truth, Hamlet begins to look for anything to prove his case.

Then, the idea comes that the new King and his mother cannot deny. When it all goes wrong, Hamlet goes down the path of destruction that leaves no one safe in the wake.

Ahmed, as Hamlet, is a man who not only deals with death but betrayal, which causes a traumatic response to everyone around him. Feeling as if no one understands his feelings, the intensity of that betrayal might be warranted in some cases, but it affects others as well. I have to say, Ahmed is absolutely stunning and incredible as Hamlet. Completely riveting and intense to watch, his performance is so strong that, for me, he is added to my list of the best actors to portray Hamlet, following Laurence Olivier and Richard Burton. Ahmed joins the more modern take alongside Ethan Hawke’s. That being said, Ahmed’s takes the lead for a modern and diverse take. So well done!

Malik, as Claudius, is a man who has his own plan and doesn’t care who he has to make disappear if they get in his way. The one thing about Malik as an actor is that he can play a good guy just as wonderfully as he can a bad guy. Here, he is a man who smiles to your face while having someone else shove a dagger in your back. Chaddha as Gertrude is a woman who is led astray and doesn’t see the world around her as it truly is. She loves her son but is afraid for him in all the wrong ways. A wonderful performance.

Clark, as Ophelia, is a young woman who can’t understand what is happening to the man she loves. Then again, let’s give her a little credit. Hamlet does give off spooky vibes and doesn’t make his feelings clear until those feelings turn ugly. Clark’s portrayal is a modern woman with a not-so-modern heartbreak. Alwyn, as Laertes is a friend, and although Hamlet’s friend, seems to be following what others want. I think the hardest scene is the final scene between Laertes and Hamlet. It is heartbreaking in friendship and intense in betrayal. This is Alwyn’s second Shakespeare film, as he portrayed Bartholomew in the 2025 film HAMNET.

Shout out to Timothy Spall as Polonius, a sneaky character who reminded me of Wormtail. Also, Avijit Dutt as Hamlet’s father’s ghost. His moments on the screen bring out such a reaction from Ahmed’s Hamlet, and it is so emotional.

Other cast include Eben Figueiredo as Marcellus, Krish Misra as Osric, and Kash Ahmad as Reynaldo.

Vertical is a global independent distributor that offers a unique wealth of experience minus the studio costs. Films such as MY MOTHER’S WEDDING, I DON’T UNDERSTAND YOU, FIGHT OR FLIGHT, and IN THE LOST LANDS are only a few of the films the studio has brought forward. For more, please visit www.vert-ent.com.

HAMLET premiered at the 52^nd Telluride Film Festival, 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, the BFI London Film Festival, and the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Director Aneil says of the film, “I read this adaptation and also went back to the original and realized that it spoke to a kind of filmmaking I thrive on – singular stories of humans that are unravelling. Hamlet is the ultimate version of that. Here is a person who is grieving and experiencing something wild and almost supernatural. The more I spent with the text, the more I realized this could actually be a very singular psychological portrait of a man in freefall. That made it very accessible and exciting for me.”

Ahmed says of HAMLET and working with writer Mike Lesslie, “I told Mike I wanted to base this Hamlet around a British Asian community. The feeling of being an outsider felt so present to me, and to all of us, so I wanted to bring it to life with a very certain specificity. It’s a theme that is very alive for immigrant communities – you have to make a lot of compromises to climb the ladder.”

HAMLET is a modern take on a classic yet delivers Shakespeare with the loyalty of the 1600s. The film is visually stunning, with music that adds another layer of storytelling with the already diverse cast front and center. It is an amazing combination that lends to the modern take on a classic story.

Ahmed carries the film from beginning to end and, as I said, has set himself up to be a memorable Hamlet. The entire film is beautiful, full of raw visceral emotions, and for anyone who adores the words of Shakespeare as much as I do, it is an amazing experience. The rest of the cast's reactions to Hamlet are equally jaw-dropping and adds to the richness of Ahmed’s performance. This is a must-see for this year!

In the end – there is a fine line between love and betrayal!

Apple TV+ Stuns with THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently streaming on Apple TV+ from writer/director Joel Coen based on William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth is the stunning THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH.

The Thane of Cawdor has been vanquished for King Duncan (Brendan Gleeson) by Macbeth (Denzel Washington) and Banquo (Bertie Carvel). On the road back from battle, Macbeth encounters three witches (Kathryn Hunter) who tell him he shall be king! In gratitude, King Duncan gives the title of Thane of Cawdor to Macbeth who then writes Lady Macbeth (Frances McDormand) to tell her the news – and the witch prophecy. The king also gives his praises Prince Malcolm (Harry Melling).

Spending the night at the new Thane of Cawdor’s castle, Lady Macbeth speaks to her husband about regicide. After planning and carrying out the deed, Macbeth slays the king and covers it up in the morning. Out of fear, Prince Malcolm and Macduff (Corey Hawkins) escape the castle to England and Macbeth is now wearing the crown. Ross (Alex Hassell) is keeping is ear to the castle stone walls and knows there is something amiss.

Now, Macbeth is worried about another visit from the witches about Banquo and his young son Fleance (Lucas Barker) giving his mental health another shove into darkness. Murder most foul happens again and again including Macduff’s own family. Ross finds Malcolm and Macduff to tell them the news while Lady Macbeth begins to also lose her senses.

It all comes to a final battle as Malcolm brings his English backed army to Macbeth’s castle and Macduff finds justice for his family.

Washington as Macbeth is absolutely stunning in this role. His emotions, like his lines, roll off with such grace and ease. Even in the midst of insanity, he brings us in so we can be a little mad ourselves knowing that the heinousness of his acts to be king and stay king are crazy. Be cheery in the light, it is when he steps in the shadows does Washington’s Macbeth utter evil deeds. One of the most amazing performances I have seen this year.

McDormand as Lady Macbeth is equally as jaw dropping as the woman who wants her husband to be king, no matter what it takes. The problem with that is her mental state can not handle everything that is required to make it so. McDormand glides along in her costume like her feet never touch the floor yet every step she takes is for Macbeth.

Hawkins as Macduff has a reason for leaving but a more justified reason to come back to Macbeth’s castle. His character is strong in dedication to Prince Malcolm but even family overrides that. Hassell as Ross is that sneaky fellow lurking around castles making sure that every move he makes is done so to his own benefit. Well done and well played.

Carvel as Banquo is dedicated to Macbeth but when insanity sets in, dedication only gets a loyal subject so far. Melling as Prince Malcolm has put away his Harry Potter days and has decided to become a future king.

And extremely deserved shout out to Kathryn Hunter as the witche(s). Never in my life have I been scared and yet transfixed by a character like this. She is daunting, full of riddles and, when looking intensely at the television screen, held my gaze with jaw dropping wonder. Her motion and yet lack of emotion is pure genius.

Other cast include Miles Anderson as Lennox, Robert Gilbert as Angus, James Udom as Seyton, Matt Helm as Donalbain, Moses Ingram as Lady Macduff, Richard Short as Siward, Sean Patrick Thomas as Monteith, Ethan Hutchinson as Macduff’s young son and Susan Berger as Lady in Waiting.

Apple+ is a video on demand web television that debuted in 2019. Viewable through Apple’s TV app, CEO Tim Cook wanted original content calling it “a great opportunity for us from a creation point of view”. From THE MORNING SHOW to TRYING and THE BANKER and Jason Momoa in SEE, there is plenty of choices for everyone. Plenty of genres? That is exactly what they are bringing to viewers and to see more of what they have to offer please visit www.apple.com/tv/.

THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH is brilliant on so many levels so let me just say first that the cinematography by Bruno Delbonnel and set design provided by Stefan Dechant is magic. Keeping it simple, with shades of light and dark that all play into the telling. The long foreboding shadows and high architecture where secrets are told, and plans are made is breathtaking.

The costuming by Mary Zophres is equally as simple with no fanfare of gold, heavy amour and ornate throne rooms or thrones for that matter. Taking away everything one would expect of a castle, the viewer is free to focus on the players and the end game.  Here are leathers and the fabric of a by gone era that are as rough as those characters wearing them.

Carter Burwell has worked with the Coen brothers before, so it seemed comfortable to have his bring in the film’s score. He gives a frightening life with the violin over the flapping of the crows that have their own meaning in the film.

Joel Coen has taken on a wonderful task going solo and has brought a story that has been told many times but with something intensely original. From the moment the film begins, it puts our own minds into a state of ‘what is hell is this?’. As Hunter’s tries to warn us from the beginning, the tale is one of twists, turns and omens.

But oh, no matter the warning, every frame of this tale is majestic to behold!  

In the end – something wicked this way comes!