Review by RCR entertainment reporter, Eric Szymanski, follow him on Twitter at @ecmanski
An ongoing trend in storytelling is presenting a classic tale told from a different perspective. Reimagining is a way to present a story with characters we’re all familiar with and give it a twist. We’ve seen it with Wicked, Maleficent, Snow White and the Huntsmen and now Ophelia. It takes the classic story of Hamlet and tells it through the eyes of Ophelia portrayed wonderfully by Daisy Ridley. The film works on many levels from its set pieces and pacing to its costume designs and cinematography. What stood out most was the acting though. Ridley proved she can carry a film without the assistance of a lightsaber. Her screen presence is undeniable. Couple that with the strong performances from the rest of the cast and I can see why this film was a darling at Sundance.
My familiarity and passion for the story of Shakespeare’s Hamlet is admittedly limited. As many, I read it in high school and even remember enjoying the 1990 Mel Gibson film. I’m in no way an expert on the source material. It didn’t really matter to enjoy and appreciate what director Claire McCarthy delivered. It wasn’t like a sequel that demanded a viewing of the original. You can go in and enjoy the film for what it is. And that’s exactly what I did. With a 107 min runtime, at no point did I find myself bored or pulling the move where I looked at my watch plotting my escape for the exit or thinking about what’s for lunch afterward. On the contrary, I was invested in the film from start to finish.
Naomi Watts, Clive Owen, and Tom Felton round out the extraordinary cast bringing this interesting take on Hamlet to life. They prove that this is how you do a “reimagining” of classic tales for modern day audiences. If Hollywood can come up with more fresh takes highlighting the empowerment of female characters like they did with Ophelia, I’m totally on board with this trend. I also see a bright future for Daisy Ridley following her post Star Wars path. As stated before, she shines in every scene with her undeniable screen presence.
With a lackluster summer movie scene so far of underperforming reboots and sequels, Ophelia is a refreshing change of pace and an example of good storytelling.
4/5 stars ⭐️
About Ophelia
Ophelia comes of age as lady-in-waiting for Queen Gertrude, and her singular spirit captures Hamlet’s affections. As lust and betrayal threaten the kingdom, Ophelia finds herself trapped between true love and controlling her own destiny.
Release date: June 28, 2019 (USA)
Director: Claire McCarthy
Adapted from: Hamlet
Distributed by: IFC Films
Ophelia Opens in theaters June 28 and VOD July 5
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