the fifth star is contingent upon the production of a clip of mr. gibson calling Ophelia "sugar tits"

Mel Gibson's Hamlet was significantly less overblown and melodramatic than shitty ol' Kenneth Brannaugh's. I SAY THIS. IT IS TRUE.

Say what you want about Mel's stab at Shakespeare, it was still the first version of Hamlet my young mind was exposed to, and it is still has a special place in my heart.

This is my favorite screen Hamlet. I think Gibson was near-perfect for this role.

It's a great performance, especially for an audience that isn't all that Shakespearey. The meaning of the lines is particularly clear, but that's kind of the problem, too. "On this hand! But on the other hand!"

Easy to follow, and a damn good delivery, but where's the Hamlet in it? If you were only to deliver the soliloquy, this is near-perfect --- but in the context of a three-hour play, this is a meek academic in way over his head, rationalizing his way out of what should be noble retribution with tricks of logic and philosophy. Watching this, I don't really get the impression that this is a milksop, paper prince lacking the balls to do the right thing.

Not that keen on his take of the character, but a great performance in any event. Five!

I think Mel only does a couple of things when he acts. He does that crazy, dislocated eye thing that stands for 'insane' anger, and he can cry. More ham than Hamlet.