(movie review)

A retelling of Shakespeare’s legendary play Hamlet from Ophelia’s point of view.

Ophelia is a restless child of low birth who grew up with the only father by her side. Queen Gertrude of Denmark notices her, takes her under her wing and makes her a maid of honor.

Prince Hamlet returns to the kingdom and a secret love affair begins.

The story of their love unfolds against the background of the catastrophe in the Kingdom of Denmark, when the old king dies at the hands of someone yet uknown, and his brother Claudius marries Queen Gertrude.

Hamlet is seized by a thirst for revenge, and Ophelia will have to decide what to do with her life: stay with the prince or go her own way.

“I have seen more of heaven and hell than most people dream of. But I was always a willful girl, and followed my heart, and spoke my mind. And it is high time I should tell you my story myself. ” — Ophelia.

Claire McCarthy’s film tells the story of Shakespeare’s tragedy with the immersion of Ophelia, played by Daisy Ridley. In the original ‘Hamlet,’ the girl is a minor character, about whom we have lack of knowledge. While in the movie, the scriptwriter gives her a fresh coat of paint.

In the book, Ophelia appears to be a good-looking girl who happened to catch prince’s eye; due to the death of her father, she goes off her head and while collecting flowers falls into the water and drowns. Apparently, the portrait of the character is not very impressive, while in the film everything turns upside down: Ophelia is portrayed as a brave, compassionate girl who, despite her low background, has a great mind and desire for knowledge. She fights for the truth and doesn’t need revenge to quell the pain of loss.

The film begins with the death of the king, and then there is a story about all the events that happened before: Ophelia’s childhood, her acquaintance with the prince and their love story.

The film director successfully refers to the works of Ophelia by Millais and Waterhouse, which inspire the creation of a similar color scheme for the entire movie. The film has incredible aesthetic and bewitching costumes that perfectly convey the atmosphere of that time. On top of that, an important aspect is a splendid selection of characters. In the movie cast, you can spot many famous names – Daisy Ridley, Naomi Watts, Tom Felton and Clive Owen.

The film ‘Ophelia’ shows a well-known story from a completely different angle. It was captivating to look at the role of women in the society of that time and to see familiar characters in a new light. The movie is thought-provoking and has an unpredictable ending with intriguing plot twists. I definitely recommend it for watching especially for the ones who appreciate feminist-inspired films and Shakespeare’s works.

My rating is 9/10.