Telluride: Aneil Karia does an effective job of transplanting this classic text to a South Asian milieu in London; however, Ahmed’s performance—appropriately outsized—stands as the true star of the piece.
Film adaptations of Shakespeare are a tricky proposition in 2025—doubly so when it comes to his most celebrated works, such as *Hamlet*. On one hand, there is already an overwhelming number of filmed versions of this material to choose from, many of which have withstood the test of time with remarkable resilience. If you are looking for a faithful adaptation of the original drama, you would be hard-pressed to find a better option than Kenneth Branagh’s definitive 1996 version, which reproduces the entirety of the Shakespearean text.
Director: Aneil Karia
Writers: Michael Lesslie, William Shakespeare
Stars: Riz Ahmed, Morfydd Clark, Avijit Dutt
At the opposite end of the spectrum, works ranging from *The Lion King* to *Sons of Anarchy* have incorporated elements of the original story to serve them up to a modern audience—one that, in many cases, didn’t even realize it was consuming a work of Shakespeare. And given that there are more than fifty additional filmed versions of this text out there, one can find practically any point along the spectrum between those two extremes that one’s heart desires.
From a cynical perspective, it is worth noting that great actors aspire to play great roles; their participation is often enough to make all the difference in the intricate world of independent film financing, making it unlikely that the inexhaustible wellspring of films based on *Hamlet*, *Macbeth*, or *King Lear* will ever run dry. A more optimistic view of the matter would suggest that watching new actors offer their own interpretations of these dramas constitutes one of life’s great pleasures. It is not without reason that such revivals have helped keep the lights on at countless theater companies over the years.
Be that as it may, Riz Ahmed is the *raison d'être* of the new *Hamlet* film directed by Aneil Karia, which makes its debut on the festival circuit this autumn. The star of *Sound of Metal* steps into the sandals of the legendary Prince of Denmark with all the intensity one might expect, unleashing a searing energy that, at times, feels more suited to the stage than to the big screen. The result creates a certain dissonance between the realism of Karia’s mise-en-scène and the relative interpretive restraint of his co-stars—such as Joe Alwyn, Morfydd Clark, and Art Malik. This contrast, while potentially disorienting for some viewers, ultimately contributes effectively to the film’s ultimate objective: to underscore the character’s gradual descent into madness. Karia takes the well-worn tale of a prince who begins seeing ghosts following his father’s death and his uncle’s ascension to the throne, and sets it in London. Ahmed’s Hamlet is the heir to a lucrative construction firm, and his father’s death—occurring in the final stretch of a massive urban development project—has aroused suspicion.
The director does an excellent job of nailing the small details necessary to translate Shakespearean verse into cinematic realism. Devising a modern concept—one vaguely involving family strife and power struggles—to superimpose onto *Hamlet* is the easy part; however, many filmmakers stumble over the unglamorous task of identifying the specific textual moments that justify transitions, as well as the precise spots to incorporate contemporary touches without distorting the original text. Battles are won with tactics, but wars are won with logistics; and Karia’s competent direction—combined with Michael Lesslie’s efficient screenplay adaptation (which provides all the necessary exposition and clocks in at under two hours)—saves this version from falling into many of the worst pitfalls of this subgenre.
It is undeniable that the concept is well executed; nevertheless, the film’s legacy will ultimately depend on whether it manages to contribute something truly significant to the original work. Beyond offering actors of predominantly Indian and Pakistani descent the opportunity to embody these roles, one discerns in it no textual richness that cannot already be found in a myriad of other recent adaptations. Such is the paradox of adapting Shakespeare in a world where we have access, at any moment, to practically every film ever shot throughout history. Devotees of the Bard will insist—quite rightly—that his language is so timeless that it remains just as fascinating today as it was in Stratford-upon-Avon during his own era.
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