I have to admit—I am beyond impressed… and more than a little surprised by director Aneil Karia’s HAMLET. Just when you think there are no new ways to approach Shakespeare’s most dissected tragedy, Karia and screenwriter Michael Lesslie deliver a fresh, invigorating 21st-century take that feels both modern and true to The Bard.
For those unfamiliar with Shakespeare’s tragic tale, HAMLET is the story of the Danish prince who is tasked by his father’s ghost to avenge his murder. Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle, is accused by the dead king’s ghost of murdering him, taking the throne, and now marrying Hamlet’s mother. Hamlet is conflicted, confused, and feigns madness before mistakenly killing the family advisor Polonius, which leads to a poisoning duel where almost everybody dies in the end.
In this new 2026 cinematic experience from Aneil Karia and screenwriter Michael Lesslie, Shakespeare’s most enduring tragedy is reimagined in a bold, modern adaptation set within London’s elite South Asian community. When Hamlet (Riz Ahmed) returns home for his father’s funeral, he is shocked to discover his uncle Claudius is about to marry Hamlet’s newly widowed mother, Gertrude. Thanks to a rooftop visit by his father’s ghost, Hamlet learns of a brutal murder at Claudius’s hands, spiraling him into a quest for vengeance that exposes the rot at the heart of the family’s empire while threatening Hamlet’s own sanity.
First kudos go to Lesslie’s adaptation. Having previously impressed with Macbeth (2015), he once again proves his skill at reshaping Shakespeare for contemporary audiences. By placing the story within the world of shady, high-stakes family business—in this case, real estate—Lesslie makes the narrative instantly relatable. He trims much of the Shakespearean excess, creating a more compact, streamlined story while making selective tweaks that actually elevate the material.
That said… I do miss some of the iconic elements. The absence of key soliloquies—and yes, the skull—is hard to ignore. No, “Alas, poor Yorick” is, quite frankly, a travesty. It’s one of the most revered moments in theatrical history. On the flip side, Ophelia is given more narrative weight, possibly through reassigned dialogue, though her descent into madness feels underexplored given her ultimate fate.
Importantly, Lesslie retains the core thread of Shakespearean dialogue, which proves even more impactful in this modern setting. And intriguingly, the film leans into ambiguity—raising the question of whether Claudius truly murdered Hamlet’s father or if Hamlet’s unraveling mind is constructing its own narrative. That uncertainty adds a compelling psychological layer.
Riz Ahmed is a revelation as Hamlet. His performance is raw, edgy, and deeply immersive. Nowhere is this more evident than in his encounter with the ghost of his father—a rooftop scene that crackles with intensity. Ahmed places us squarely inside Hamlet’s fractured psyche, and crucially, the film never leaves that point of view. We see, feel, and question everything through him.
Art Malik is deliciously untrustworthy as Claudius. From the moment he appears, suspicion clings to him, aligning the audience with Hamlet’s fears. Sheeba Chaddha brings an intriguing ambiguity to Gertrude, while Joe Alwyn’s Laertes is solid and effective. And then there’s Timothy Spall—always a standout—who delivers a deliciously shifty Polonius, culminating in a sudden, shocking, and brutally satisfying demise.
Visually, Karia’s decision to set the film within contemporary Britain’s South Asian community pays off beautifully. The cultural layering enriches the film’s aesthetic, none more so than the stunning play-within-a-play sequence. Bursting with Bollywood-inspired vibrancy, it’s a feast of color and metaphor—particularly the striking imagery of dancers with red-stained hands, silently accusing Claudius of blood guilt.
Cinematographer Stuart Bentley is instrumental in shaping the film’s visual identity. His use of light, shadow, and color creates a tonal landscape that mirrors Hamlet’s descent—dark, vengeful, and increasingly unstable. The final sequence, set in a forest of inky blue-black hues, is breathtaking. The framing—moving from intimate violence to a wide, isolating tableau—is hauntingly beautiful and one of the film’s most memorable moments.
Bentley’s use of handheld camera work, however, is a double-edged sword. When used sparingly—particularly in extreme close-ups of Ahmed—it effectively pulls us into Hamlet’s unstable mental state. But overuse becomes distracting, occasionally feeling more like a stylistic crutch than a deliberate choice. Thankfully, more grounded compositions—mid-shots and group framing—offer visual relief and help maintain clarity.
Technically, the film excels across the board. Nirage Mirage’s costume design and Chris Oddy’s production design—especially within the play-within-a-play—are exceptional. Akram Khan’s choreography adds another layer of richness, while Maxwell Sterling’s score, particularly in its instrumentation and orchestration, leans into deep, resonant tones that underscore the film’s psychological and emotional weight.
Ultimately, this HAMLET succeeds because it commits fully to perspective. We are locked inside Hamlet’s mind from start to finish, experiencing not just his grief and rage, but his confusion and paranoia. Riz Ahmed doesn’t just play Hamlet—he consumes him.
And while I may never forgive the absence of Yorick’s skull… I have to admit—this is one of the most compelling and visually striking adaptations of HAMLET in recent memory.
Directed by: Aneil Karia
Written by: Michael Lesslie, based on the play by William Shakespeare
Cast: Riz Ahmed, Morfydd Clark, Joe Alwyn, Sheeba Chaddha, Avijit Dutt, Art Malik, Timothy Spall
by debbie elias, 03/16/2026
HAMLET will release only in theaters on April 10, 2026.
