Ophelia

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1 hour, 46 minutes

Watch it for...

Some seriously enchanting and stunning fairytale vibes paired with a new feminist spin on the famously tragic character of Ophelia from Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Synopsis

Based on the classic Shakespeare play, Ophelia is a retelling of Hamlet, from her point-of-view. The story follows Ophelia’s life, as she goes from a lady-in-waiting to the Queen in the castle to the woman who begins a love affair with the melancholic and moody Prince Hamlet. As someone close to the Queen and Prince, Ophelia finds herself witnessing some very strange things. When the King dies, Ophelia becomes suspicious and begins seeing signs that his death may not have been the accident it’s being made out to be. All the while, Prince Hamlet is slowly losing his sanity over the death of his father and the new relationship between his mother and treacherous uncle. While tension and mysteries begin to unfold, Ophelia is caught in the crossfire between her lover, the Queen—who is angered by their relationship—and the duplicitous new King who seems to suspect that perhaps Ophelia knows too much. Filled with twists and turns, it’s bound to be a delightful surprise, even for those who know the original material well.

Emma's thoughts

Like most people, I read (or was forced to endure, depending on your perspective!) Shakespeare in high school. Hamlet was one of his works that stood out to me as being the most interesting plot-wise, and I always adored the name Ophelia, even though she was portrayed as a mentally ill, lovestruck character who meets a tragic end. Interested to see a film from her perspective, I watched the movie by myself one night and was blown away by the beauty of the cinematography, the depth they added to Ophelia's character, and the twists and turns they added to the classic material.

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This movie was filled to the brim with captivating, atmospheric vibes that left me with the desire to run through a castle in a beautiful dress, or sit in a patch of flowers by a river and read! I'm all for strong female characters, so I found it wildly appealing to see how this film transformed a character who is seen as "mad" in the classic adaptions of Hamlet transformed into a strong, independent, brave, and capable woman. It was a movie worth watching for anyone seeking beautiful vibes, a bit of romance, and a bold, wonderful lead.