To like or not to like?

That is the question! I really enjoyed watching the different versions of Hamlet. Personally, I liked the Mel Gibson version better, but I think they both had their strengths and weaknesses.

The BBC version, to me, was just a little bit too much. I know it's Shakespeare and it's supposed to be dramatic, but I found it hard to imagine Hamlet punching himself in the face and acting dilusional. I thought Mel Gibson's version did a better job at portraying Hamlet's change at the end of scene 5. Other things I noticed was that there was no background, there is the use of fog, and it is the most true to the script. I also thought the appearance of the ghost was really good because it was true with its armor. However, I think that the ghost rushed some of his lines and he didn't seem very fatherly, he seemed more scary.

The most important reason why I liked the Mel Gibson version better was because there was simply more movement. It wasn't just in one spot like the BBC version. There was background, different shots and views, and there was music involved, which I think makes a movie 10 times better. Even though this version wasn't as true to the script, I thought it was more realistic and it was choppier. It showed the scene with the party, when the other version did not. I liked the character of Hamlet because he seemed the most real and his reactions weren't too over the top. The ghost was also really good except for his clothing, I thought he should have been in more armor. I liked the ghost's emotion and he just looked older and grayer, more like what a ghost would look like.

Overall I really liked these different portrayals of Hamlet and they added to my understanding of the novel.