Review: ‘Hamlet 2’

Ram Man:

(Act1: Introduction) I thought I was heading to just another movie screening, until I arrived and a concerto broke out. To warm up the crowd, a local choir ran through a medley of tunes including one from “Hamlet 2” the movie we were about to see. I am not a big fan of  classic Shakespeare films but I did enjoy the modernization of the  classic Taming of the Shrew (10 things  I Hate About You).   i was very interested  to see  how Pam Brady (South Park writer) was going to do a sequel to literature’s greatest tragedy…where all the main characters died.

(Act2: Casting) Steve Coogan is Dana Marschz an out of work actor (because he can’t act) best known for a few infomercials and commercials about herpes medicine. Marschz ends up where all acting careers go to die… a high school drama teacher in Tuscon Arizona. Marschz class consists of two students,   Epiphany (Phoebe Strole) and Rand (Skylar Astin), who act out scenes from popular movies. That is until the school closes all the other fine arts electives and the class balloons to a glorified study-hall full of gang bangers.Dana sees it as a challenge to involve these new kids in the art.  Marschz is embroiled in a constant battle with a newspaper critic who consistently rips his work…the school newspaper. When the school elects to end the misery that is the drama dept.,Dana comes up with an original play “Hamlet 2”, a sequel to Shakespeare’s great tragedy, to save the drama dept and his job.

(Act3:The Play) Hamlet 2 is Jesus Christ Superstar meets highschool musical on acid. Literally, after the kids slip some acid to Marschz before he finishes the final rewrite of the play. Hamlet 2 featuring the characters from the original, a time machine, current songs, orgies,a time machine and Jesus. After Principal  Rocker (Marshall Bell) gets a whiff of what Hamlet 2 is about, he shuts down the show and the class. Marschz’s students come together, borrow or steal everything they need to put the play on off campus. Word gets out,Hamlet 2 becomes a first amendment issue with people taking sides with those who want the play to go on and the bible thumpers that see it as an abomination. After a couple of people try to  kill Marschz, enter Cricket Feldstein (Amy Poehler), civil rights  “win at all cost”  lawyer to ensure Hamlet 2 will go on  . I for one am glad it did. The play is hilarious,the vocals by the students are superb… and will have you exiting the theater singing “Rock Me Sexy Jesus!”

(Epilogue: analysis) Hamlet 2 is a wonderful movie and definitely earns a spot right next to Dogma on my DVD shelf. The film features some  great supporting roles from Catherine Keener (Brie Marschz) as Coogan’s wife, the former pot dealer,  who leaves him with Gary their border (David Arquette). Attention..we have an Elizabeth Shue sighting. Shue plays herself, having given up the business, lives as a nurse in Tuscon. after viewing Hamlet 2 she is inspired to act again. Hamlet 2, the devine light of comedy, will inspire laughter in all that view it!

[rating:4/5]

Travis:

Coming from someone who is not easily offended, nor is caught all up in a tight little ball of religious anxiety and tension, I really can’t say much more about the “controversial” subject matter other than I found it rather mild, to be honest. I can see how some may be offended, but would question whether they actually saw the movie. Reminiscent of Kevin Smith’s Dogma, this film touches on areas that can be sore for the less open-minded viewers. In reality, and again similar to Dogma, this film is not “really” anti-Christian… just, more like anti-conventional.

With so many of us reviewing this film, I’ll attempt to forgo repeating too much plot. Steve Coogan plays Dana Marschz, a failed actor who now works as a lousy drama teacher for a poor high school in Tucson, Arizona. Infamous for his terrible dramatic stage interpretations of popular Hollywood blockbusters, Marschz enters into an existential break-down when he finds out his drama class is being exterminated at the end of the school year. Inspired by his less-than-enthusiastic students and a motivating conversation with the school’s newspaper drama critic (all of maybe 12 years old), Marschz decides to pursue writing a play that’s been haunting him for years.

The play is titled ‘Hamlet 2’ and yes, is a sort of sequel to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, except this one involves Hamlet traveling in a time machine with Jesus Christ to modern times. The idea sounds corny, but the story is actually fairly creative and original. ‘Hamlet 2’ is definitely funny, but there is some decent and thoughtful storytelling going on under the immediate surface. I really dug the idea of Hamlet bringing Jesus to the future where he learns that to be accepted and successful as the son of God, he’d have to market himself as a hip, sexy cool iconic figure like the celebrities and sports stars often do. This offers an interesting philosophical talking point for those interested in the “what if” mentality of metaphysical theories.

I can see how some may not have found the acting to be stellar, and of course it’s not, but it does the job for what the movie is intended to be. This is certainly not a film that strives to win acting awards, but the script deserves some attention, in my opinion. Coogan offers a performance that’s part Rowan Atkinson and part Ben Stiller. I actually found many of his scenes to be brilliantly comical, leading me to anticipate future starring roles from him. As for the stage production within the film, all I can say is that this is a musical I would be interested in seeing. Even though the film itself wasn’t overly produced, the Hamlet 2 production put on by Marschz and his unlikely students really makes an impression.

Why are people potentially going to be upset? Well, Hamlet 2 places Jesus Christ in scenarios that some may find unflattering, but as the Holy-rollers protesting the play in the movie learn as they watch it unfold, the play is actually about the son forgiving the father and is pro-Christianity, in an uninhibited John Waters style presentation. In addition, the film makes some less-than-original comments about the first amendment that still hold contemporary relevance, but no longer have the same affect as they might have 20-30 years ago. In short, the film’s well-worth seeing and appreciating.

[rating:4/5]

Zac:

This irreverent and silly comedy starting Steve Coogan is coming off being the hit film of Sundance and it does a very good job of being funny, even with the lunacy, absurdness, and predictability that fill the picture.

Dana Marschz is a high school drama teacher that has moved to Tucson, AZ after failing to be an actor. He turns out to not be a very good theater producer either and has a whole two students to star in his tri-annual stage shows that are remakes of random films such as Erin Brockovich. Dana is in awe at his productions, but is ravaged by the school critic and is the laughing stock of the administrative community at the school. Match this with his awkward living arrangement and self-loathing/drunk wife and it is amazing that he is able to keep his unmatched ability to remind blindly optimistic about everything. To his surprise, a large group of troublemakers and “ethnics” get enrolled in his drama class, as there is no where else to put them due to asbestos, and Dana takes on the task of having an effect on these children’s lives. After discovering his class and all arts programs are going to be cut, Dana sets out to create a play that will show people that art education is worth saving, and that play is Hamlet 2.

Now, let’s get my complaints out of the way. The film itself is random, absurd, silly, and has little to no structure. No some of those things I just list aren’t bad, in fact the fact that it is those things make the film bearable since it is not supposed to be taken seriously, outside the message that art education is good for kids. Things happen in the film for no reason, one minute people hate one another, next they are OK, everyone jumps into Dana’s ridiculous play with open arms, it just makes you go, what? But it is supposed to be absurd and not realistic, so I guess it is OK.

What is not OK is the acting though; besides Coogan, more on him later. None of the supporting cast does a good job really, I mean, no one is really terrible, except the kid who played the critic, terrible, but everyone surrounding Coogan is just mediocre and average; but they handled the singing well. Coogan is hilarious. Crude, brash, and optimistic no matter what is thrown at him, his Dana is genuinely great comedic character. Coogan’s mannerisms and face help him create an original character that is in love with theater but doesn’t play to any stereotype we have ever seen. Watching Coogan’s face is just hilarious as he gives odd looks and emotions through it, and his line delivery is impeccable. In fact, one of the best lines I have heard in a movie in a while comes from this, and avoid any commercials for you to get the most out of it. The few songs that are in the film are fun as well, and with names like ‘Raped in the Face’ and ‘Rock Me Sexy Jesus’, you know you are in for irreverent fun.

The film takes the idea of wowing them in the end and runs with it as the random mess comes together in the random bliss that is Hamlet 2 in the final act. The sequence is just great and brilliant on a number of levels and real makes the film. Coogan’s performance is worth seeing alone, but the final production of the play makes the film worth more then just a great turn by an actor.

In the end, Hamlet 2 stays consistently funny throughout the picture thanks to Coogan’s great turn. The film might bank on stupid physical humor a bit too much, but there is plenty of wit to be found as well. The best way to watch this is to sit back and enjoy the absurdity and don’t take anything seriously. The production of Hamlet 2 in the film is great and shows off the inspired imagination of Andrew Fleming who brought this film to the screen. See it for Coogan and for some good old politically incorrect fun.

[rating:3.5/5]

Jeremy:

‘Hamlet 2’ is a film that more than likely would have worked regardless of who was in it.   It’s that level of irreverent and near tasteless comedy that has made ‘South Park’ such a staple of comedy for over a decade.   In fact, the film was co-written by Pam Brady, the lone, female co-founder of ‘South Park’ and co-writer of ‘Team America: World Police’.   The film was directed by Andrew Fleming, who’s done everything from gritty horror, ‘Bad Dreams’, to stylistic horror, ‘The Craft’, to realistic rom-coms, ‘Threesome’, to Hollywoodized kid flicks, last year’s ‘Nancy Drew’.   The guy has quite a filmography under his belt, and ‘Hamlet 2’ is sure to be his most memorable.

The film stars Steve Coogan as Dana Marschz, just try pronouncing it.   Marschz is a failed actor who is now a drama teacher at a high school in Tucson, Arizona.   He’s the kind of optimistic theater director who grits through his teeth even in moments of physical pain, but who has hateful outbursts that seem to incessantly bubble up inside him.   Due to school cut backs, the drama department is being closed down, and Marschz apparently goes off the deep end.   He begins writing his opus, a sequel to Shakespeare’s best known tragedy that also includes Jesus Christ, a time machine, and musical numbers that are as vulgar as they are hilarious.   ‘Raped in the Face’ anyone?

As I said earlier, ‘Hamlet 2’ brandishes the kind of humor that would work despite who is playing the parts.   But, what sets this film above other recent comedies is the brilliance that is Steve Coogan.   The guy is an incredible actor.   It takes great acting ability to play a guy who is a horrible actor but who genuinely thinks he, himself, is brilliant.   There are moments in the film where you aren’t really sure if Marschz is crazy or just not very bright, and this is pulled off perfectly by Coogan.

It helps that he has a great supporting cast to back him up.   Catherine Keener, who plays Marschz’s downtrodden wife, is always great, and early moments in ‘Hamlet 2’ make you think she may garner an Oscar nomination here.   Unfortunately, her character disappears about 2/3 of the way through.   David Arquette is good, but he is wasted here.   Elizabeth Shue plays the part she was born to play.   She plays herself in what would be the best moment of self-denigration this year were it not for Cruise in ‘Tropic Thunder’.

The humor in ‘Hamlet 2’ is really nothing we haven’t seen before.   Most of the comedic beats can be seen coming from about five seconds away, but, for some, strange reason, they all work beautifully.   When Marschz kicks a trash can, you know it’s gonna hit a student in the head.   It does, but it’s hilarious.   When Marschz breaks his middle finger, you know it’s going to be put into a brace that makes the character look like he’s flipping everyone the bird.   It does, but it, too, is hilarious.   Everything this film tries to do comically, whether predictable or not, works perfectly, and that isn’t even talking about the film’s final 30 minutes.

Marschz’s musical is quirky to say the very least.   At times, it becomes quite offensive.   At other times, it is so strange that you can’t help but love it.   As soon as you see Hamlet and Laertes fighting with light sabers while floating through the air ‘Crouching Tiger’-style, you’ll understand.   Still, at other times, the musical is incredible.   The songs in the film, crude as they may be, are excellently written and beautifully sang.   If ‘Blame Canada’ and ‘It’s Hard Out Here For a Pimp’ can get Oscar nominations for Best Original Song, than ‘Rock Me Sexy Jesus’ is a shoe-in.

‘Hamlet 2’ is a hilariously pieced-together comedy.   I didn’t think anything would be funnier this year than ‘Tropic Thunder’, and I was proven wrong.   What would have been a pretty funny movie becomes instantly hysterical once Steve Coogan gets thrown into the mix.   The guy really should have Will Ferrell’s success.   The film is at times vulgar, at other times quite conventional, but through and through, ‘Hamlet 2’ is a laugh riot of Shakespearean proportions.

[rating:4.5/5]

Shanna:

There are several reviews of Hamlet 2 on this site so I am not going to bore you with a detailed summary of the plot, but I thought it would be a good idea to give a female perspective. Hamlet 2 is one of those films that a person will either hate or love, my opinion tends to lean towards the former.

Do not be mislead by the title of the film. It has nothing to do with Shakespeare or even Hamlet. The story is offbeat to say the least and borders on sacrilegious. I am not a religious person, but I found the humor crude and pointless. The film did have its funny moments (mostly physical slap stick comedy such as the roller blade fiasco), but those moments were overshadowed by racism and crass humor. If the point of this film is to shock people then it certainly will accomplish that goal.

There were a few shinning performances in this over the top film. This will be considered Steve Coogan’s breakthrough role. His American accent was flawless even thou his humor is an acquired taste. His character was outrageous, but he held back just enough to make it believable. My favorite performance was by Catherine Keener. She was the funniest person in the whole film, but of course she was only in the first half. David Arquette spoke about 5 words and then was sidelined to the shadows. The surprise appearance by Elisabeth Shue lost its luster after two minutes. Finally, Amy Poehler was everything that I expected from her, but with nothing new or different.

The story did not make sense and I did not feel any empathy or attachment toward any of the charters. This film is geared towards young men at the peak of their testosterone, but not intelligence. If you are not in this select group then do not waist your time on this film.

[rating:2/5]