Hamlet 2

source: Hamlet 2

Then there's this one. Absolutely ghastly. After giving it 20 minutes I kept thinking it'll get better and then it doesn't. No comedic timing, thoroughly implausible, and absurd but not in a good way. The end.

Hamlet 2 is overwrought and slow. Yet again, Hollywood has created another film where all the humor is showcased in the thirty-second preview shown on TV. And what is left is 89 minutes and 30 seconds of hackney jokes and poorly executed physical jokes. Steve Coogan's Dana has all the charm of a gym sock. He over plays the part of a failed actor turned drama teacher with all the idiosyncrasies and quirks you didn't like about YOUR high school drama teacher. Katherine Keener, on the other hand, is hysterical. Unfortunately, she is only in the movie for a short amount of time. The plot is weak and does not stand up to the hype. Think Dangerous Minds but less funny.

My son is a college level theatre student. His sister and he have been in musical theatre for years, growing up.I am a theatre parent. So he and I went to this with high expectations. First showing, on a Saturday afternoon. Only he and I in the theatre. We made it to about half-way and left. We each feared the other was enjoying it; though I don't know why, as neither of us laughed once. Maybe I don't like Steve Coogan. I could have sworn, by his delivery and the dialogue, that he must have written and directed this film as a vehicle for his own glorification. Nothing was probable or representative of real theatre.There was no correlation of anything in this movie to its real life doppelganger. We had to look at his butt twice! God Almighty, please don't let this be the end of Elizabeth Schue. Roger Ebert gave this crap a favorable review but on re-reading his review, it seems to me he very skillfully and with, plausible deniability threw some friend a bone.

I saw an advanced screening of this movie last night. I went in expecting comedy from south park or team America. Sorely disappointed. These two shows/movies are deplorable in their own right, but when i watch them i am entertained. This movie is missing so many things, but mainly it is missing character development. The different characters in this movie seem to blend together. The plot is somewhat confusing, and finally the author of the script seemed to place certain scenes in the movie just to make some laughs that had no relevance to the movie. Finally, this is not a musical. There is one scene at the end with song/dance. The rest of the movie is acting. Not sure why it's pushed as a musical.

This movie was just so interesting to watch, the main character just brings so much life into the movie and turns it into a funny, interesting and non gay journey. To put this movie in a nutshell i would have to say that it is just like a South Park Movie brought to life because it contains ridiculously insane comedy and randomness of beyond belief. Of course it has people who are stupid in the head and people who need anger management. I would not look at this movie as being a failure, i would look at it as an interesting series of events with hilariously non logical drama and humor combined together. Cheers Tom

One would think that a musical based on a Shakespearian play in which most the characters die at the end would be, in a word, impossible. But that would just be plain pessimistic according to Dana Marschz a high school drama teacher in Tucson, AZ and the main character of "Hamlet 2" the movie and the play. Played by British funnyman Steve Coogan (also seen in this summer's "Tropic Thunder"), Marschz is an enthusiastic thespian just trying to inspire his students and make ends meet at home (one effort for saving money – roller skating to work). Hamlet 2 offers a cast full of comedic actors as well as some funny and touching moments that aren't quite up to the "Waiting for Guffman" level but bring a modern take on ye ol' theater and inspirational movie. To read more go to http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/2008/09/hamlet-2-movie-review.html

This movie ranks with the worst movies this middle aged man has ever seen. It is awful plus. An F minus. The writing is juvenile at best. The lead actor tries to, I think, emulate a Monty Python shtick and the SNL alum cameo as an ACLU attorney isn't even good enough to be a joke. This waste of cellophane makes the Afflec/J Lo flick of a few years ago look like an Academy Award show. The kids' acting was OK...kind of like "Dazed and Confused OK," but the adults' acting was inane at best. And if I were Tuscon, I'd sue to get this thing removed from theaters and movie rental houses. I would be embarrassed to be associated with this movie. The best thing about the movie, ranking after the popcorn & coke, was the "rock me sexy Jesus" catchy tune along with the gay men's choir rendition of Elton John. End of story. End of line. End of movie. And hopefully, end of careers for whoever thought of this project. Don't waste your gas, bus fare, or $1.00 DVD rental fee on this abomination.

This is a well made comedy with some really funny lines in it. Steve Coogan's first proper American comedy is a success IMO and he delivers a great comedy performance as per usual. Not the best comedy every made but its one that made me laugh out loud and there hasn't been many of those recently (with the exception of a few Seth Rogen vehicles). Think Summer Heights meets South Park with a splash of Jerry Springer the musical. Unfortunately due to its lack of big names and sometimes controversial jokes this won't do as well as it probably should which is a shame considering some of the poor comedies that makes it to the big screen these days just because it has a current A lister in it e.g. Drillbit Taylor. I recommend it to anyone who likes Coogans TV work (Partridge, Saxondale etc). Hamlet 2 is def worth a watch even if its on DVD. I tell no lies

yes, I do know a lot about Shakespeare, I collect his plays and movies based upon them. but if you expect this to be Shakespeare, you'll be very disappointed. instead, if you watch this movie expecting to laugh a lot, you probably will. the jokes in Hamlet 2 are funny haha but not hoho (haha with the mouth and hoho with the belly - belly laugh rules!). it's funny, but not supertrooper funny. or, if you like supertroopers, it's supertrooper funny, but not American Pie. then again, American Pie couldn't lick the boots of Some like it HOt, but that's another story. why is Hamlet 2 a good movie for 12 year old? probably because they don't know a thing about Shakespeare. if you don't know Shakespeare and you're too young to be able to appreciate movies, you will laugh yourself to death with Hamlet 2. that's the point of it all. you'll be dead laughing before the picture is over and that's a good thing.