2006, China
Adventure, Drama, Romance, War
Something may be rotten in the state of Denmark, but Tibet finds even more twists and turns in Shakespeare's Hamlet than originally foretold.
Director Sherwood Hu takes a few liberties with the revered text, but the outcome works well. Relationships are more complicated and madness is not always a closing argument. As kingdoms fight for an heir to the throne, more is at stake than one prince's troubles.
Although the translation of this adaptation may not be as poetic as the Bard's original tongue, the plot is still intricate and the visuals all the more stunning than what could be contained to a stage. A breathtaking mountainscape provides lush imagery that cannot be expressed into words, and warriors are striking in costumes of elaborate detail from the Tang Dynasty of the seventh century.
There is something brilliant in a story that can be adapted to so many different cultures over time. As much as mythology has universal threads, the anarchy caused by political control and intrigue finds commonalities throughout the world.
Humanity is cracked by insanity in a kingdom shattered by secrets, and Hu succeeds in altering the famous tale without diminishing its significance. He brings love and forgiveness to a tale that is often considered consumed by hatred and revenge.