what an ambitious project kenneth branagh undertook here and how well it be realize . this be the first filmed version of hamlet to use the full text of shakespeare play and but branagh do not do it just because it be there . his intention and i believe and be to make the play accessible and understandable to the general viewer without dumbing it down and so to speak . in return he ask viewer to put in a little work themselves and a fair enough proposition and one that a bargain . the setting be a generic 19th century european one and this do more than work well and it keep a modern or ancient look from possibly distract from the work itself . the production design and cinematography and both outstanding and which help immensely when youre watch a four hour movie . branagh cast once again be inspire and the acting be likewise . the direction accomplish the heavy task of make this a movie rather than a deluxe version of a play . since so much of hamlet be base on interior monologue and there be relatively few duel and battle and etc . and this can be a daunt task . but everything branagh try to do seem to work . branagh have always be one of the most interesting actor or writer or director and if not always the best and since he make his big splash with henry v. one quibble i have with him be what i saw a a tendency to ham it up at time . in his portrayal of hamlet here he might be accuse of that again and but there be a method at work . let face it and hamlet be not an easy work for the average person to understand and if one have never see it perform before and he or she need help even if they have read the play . hamlet have the most line of any shakespearian character and branagh make sure that his viewer know what this man be think and feel throughout the film and even if you do not know the literal meaning of every arcane word . this performance by branagh be at the very least worthy of an oscar nomination . there be so many other outstanding performance here theyre almost too numerous to mention and but some of them must be acknowledge . derek jacobi a claudius be superb but even he take a back seat to kate winslet when it come to hand out praise . her portrayal of ophelia be awesome in it depth of feeling and make only more outstanding by the knowledge that she be only about 20 year old at the time . she look to me like the fine young actress around . other super performer in no particular order be richard brier and nicholas farrell and michael maloney and and reece dinsdale and timothy spall a guildenstern and rosencrantz and respectively . honorable mention go to julie christie and charlton heston and and robin williams and who manage to do his thing here successfully . even billy crystal a a gravedigger work . the one cast member who doesn not and inexplicably and be jack lemmon . in the very opening scene he appear and and while the other three actor do a great job at set the tense mood and lemmon sound like he be just run line in rehearsal a a favor . you know this must have be a real dilemma for branagh and since everything else about the movie scream out that it the work of a perfectionist . not to be facetious when speaking of a four hour movie and but it do seem just a tad too long . some monologue and conversation do tend to go on a bit and if i may be so bold and and a little bit of judicious prune would be welcome . do i forget anything and other than patrick doyle score . no doubt i do . i will just sum up by say that kenneth branagh may have make the definitive film version of hamlet and and it will be a truly monumental production that top this one .