Really enjoyed it. It's a fun, light version of Hamlet, if one can describe Hamlet as "fun" & "light". Bill Murray as Polonius & Steve Zahn as Rosencrantz bring a comedic lightness to the tragedy. Ethan Hawke portrays Hamlet as a sullen film maker burdened by great conflict.
I think the best Hamlet is Derek Jacobi in the 1980 BBC production. Never cared for Laurence Olivier's Hamlet, found it dated & over acted.
I agree.It is the only one of ten versions I have watched that has a young Hamlet and a young Horacio. They look like university students. If we want to introduce Shakespeare plays to young people we should recommend films that are appealing to them. Reading will come afterwards, especially when their first language is other than English.
I recently watched the 2009 version and still I prefer the 2000 one. Definitely.
The best version of 'Hamlet' I've seen wsn't filmed, but the stage production at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in Montgomery, Alabama! It was staged by a large amount of actors from the Royal Shakespeare Company, including Anthony Sher in the lead role. Excellent staging!
This filmed version is quite good as well! I prefer some of the modern stagings to the old, stolid ones of Olivier and such!