grand epic a it be and kenneth branagh monumental rendering of what be perhaps william shakespeare most popular tragedy suffers under the weight of it four hour playing time and certainly take some real stay power . two entirely separate sitting would most likely be well in order to fully appreciate what be certainly high class film making . while i absolutely acknowledge this masterpiece a such and i must confess to a lack of enthusiasm for the old bard flamboyance and his rhetoric ( and he send himself up so well ) and his many flourish . thus hamlet lose it impact a it lose it grip . from patrick doyle music to alex thomson cinematography to tim harvey exquisite set and the movie be a feast of visual and aural delight and which compliment a fine cast . branagh have take on three huge mantel and adapt and direct and play . his adaptation be superb and his direction strong and but by the time he get to the role of hamlet and the strain seem to be show while yet still he do a fine job in what be an incredibly taxing role . derek jacobi gobble up the sinister claudius with glee and and julie christie be most dramatic a his queen and gertrude . richard brier be marvellous a polonius and and charlton heston be once again a strong screen influence a the player king . many others drop by and include jack lemmon ( superb in a very small role ) and billy crystal and dame judi dench and sir john mill and sir john gielgud and sir richard attenborough and gerard depardieu . the act prize though must go to one of the great thespian discovery of recent year and kate winslet . hers be a move portrayal of the most tragic figure in this whole affair and ophelia . to finish ( before this review go on long than the film ) and i must say it be the length that really test the viewer in this movie . branagh have direct with purpose and give many important and impacting scene . too many of them outstay their welcome . watch this film hold a fantastic reminder of the many pearl of wisdom we have garner from it . neither a lender nor a borrower be or be true to thyself . and of course represent to be or not to be . the opening two hour do take some perseverance and but if you do manage to stay tune you be sure to be treat to a rouse finale which gather momentum from the tragic funeral onward . monday and june 8 and 1998 hoyts croydon .