Benedict Cumberbatch in Hamlet (short review)

Fathom Events brought to American cinemas Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance of Hamlet in London’s National Theater. In a classic tale, Prince Hamlet is disgusted at his recently widowed mother’s quick remarriage to his late father’s power-hungry brother. Cumberbatch’s acting is energetic and solid, although many young audiences members  might lose much of the plot to the Shakespearian language. To spoil the story (but it’s such an old story) – A ghost reveals to Hamlet that Hamlet’s father was murdered by Hamlet’s brother. Fearing Hamlet’s revenge, his uncle tries to get Hamlet killed. The ghost of Hamlet’s father orders Hamlet to kill his uncle. Almost everyone dies, including Hamlet, his mother, his uncle, some of his friends, and a girl he loved. The royal crown is claimed by someone outside of Hamlet’s family. And that’s really it. Hamlet’s a classic, sure – but it doesn’t seem particularly kid-friendly, especially not for kids who have experienced violence or instability in their families. This doesn’t take away from the excellent performances on stage by Cumberbatch and the rest of the cast.

 Fathom Events focuses on special theatrical events including sports, concerts, theatrical plays, and cinematic presentations of classic movies and TV events – Adoption at the Movies’ previous coverage of Fathom Events has included our reviews of Space Jam and The NeverEnding Story. For more on Fathom, check out www.fathomevents.com