Ophelia

Name: Ophelia
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller, Romance, War
Released: June 28, 2019
Duration: 114 min
Rating: 60
Cast: Anna Rust, Clive Owen, Daisy Head, Daisy Ridley, Devon Terrell

2019

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 23 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 23 Ratings

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6.2

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6.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 23 Ratings

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Ophelia

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Movie Details & Credits

IFC Films | Release Date: June 28, 2019 | PG-13

Starring: Anna Rust, Clive Owen, Daisy Head, Daisy Ridley, Devon Terrell, Dominic Mafham, George MacKay, Issy Stewart, Jack Cunningham-Nuttall, Mia Quiney, Naomi Watts, Sebastian De Souza, Tom Felton

Summary: Set in the 14th Century but spoken in a contemporary voice, Ophelia is a dynamic re-imagining of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Ophelia (Daisy Ridley) takes center stage as Queen Gertrude’s (Naomi Watts) most trusted lady-in-waiting. Beautiful and intelligent, she soon captures the attention of the handsome Prince Hamlet (George MacKay) and aSet in the 14th Century but spoken in a contemporary voice, Ophelia is a dynamic re-imagining of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Ophelia (Daisy Ridley) takes center stage as Queen Gertrude’s (Naomi Watts) most trusted lady-in-waiting. Beautiful and intelligent, she soon captures the attention of the handsome Prince Hamlet (George MacKay) and a forbidden love blossoms. As war brews, lust and betrayal are tearing Elsinore Castle apart from within and Ophelia must decide between her true love or her own life in order to protect a very dangerous secret.… Expand

Director: Claire McCarthy

Genre(s): Drama, History, Thriller, Romance, War

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 114 min

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Critic Reviews

Alonso Duralde

Ridley is simply extraordinary, and she and MacKay give us a younger, lustier Ophelia and Hamlet than we usually get on the big screen. Read full review

The Playlist Warren Cantrell

Jun 26, 2019

McCarthy’s film manages to balance an audacious reinterpretation inside a loving ode to the original. Read full review

Todd McCarthy

This vigorous, colorful and clever melodrama smartly rethinks both the play and the character, making her a far more proactive figure than Shakespeare did in addition to entirely reimagining her fate. Read full review

Manohla Dargis

Jun 27, 2019

It’s an interesting exercise and, for the most part, a passably diverting one. Read full review

Empire Ian Freer

Nov 22, 2019

An interesting, well played and well made attempt to reframe Shakespeare’s most famous play through a feminist lens, Ophelia ultimately doesn’t have the boldness to deliver on its resonant idea. Read full review

Ty Burr

Jun 26, 2019

What sinks the movie (rather than the character) are the tortured melodramatics of its backstage plot and dialogue that aims for clever — and sometimes is — but that generally approximates Shakespeare for, like, beginners. Read full review

Rex Reed

Jun 29, 2019

The result is pretty to look at, with the misty lakes and foreboding forests of Denmark beautifully photographed and the costumes lavishly designed, but the sad (and boring) result has none of the bold thrust or festering passion originally created by the Bard. Read full review

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User Reviews

DontBeAJinx

Feb 4, 2023

had no interest in the film but saw this on Netflix pop up so I gave it a try and now its my top 10 film. steven price is such a great composer.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

daisyridleybae

Jul 2, 2019

Daisy Ridley is the best person I have ever seen. Her action is amazing and her action makes me hyped! I cried so hard at the end of the film. It’s really emotional and great film!
Love this film so much!! Thank you so much for making this film!!

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

2roads

Dec 26, 2019

Historical movie junkies arise! This is an excellent interpretation of Ophelia's story.
Loved it!

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

AgentZ

Nov 20, 2020

A bold and fresh take on the outdated and already overglorified Hamlet tale. It's essentially the same except some the characters (Hamlet, Ophelia, Laertes, and Horatio) are a lot younger than how they're usually portrayed and that this story is now centered around Hamlet's love interest andA bold and fresh take on the outdated and already overglorified Hamlet tale. It's essentially the same except some the characters (Hamlet, Ophelia, Laertes, and Horatio) are a lot younger than how they're usually portrayed and that this story is now centered around Hamlet's love interest and is told from her perspective instead of Hamlet himself who WAS always the title protagonist of this old tale. The cast is wonderful and give fairly good performances, especially Daisy Ridley who is a gifted young adult actress. But the film's execution is dry and the story is confusing (well, to be honest, I always found Hamlet confusing). The tone is confused and doesn't seem to decide whether it is a melodrama or a romantic drama. This film was honestly boring and had me fall asleep on some parts. It doesn't really add much to the Hamlet story as it seemingly tried to aim for. It was mostly depressing filler. I'd say this is worth watching at least once, but not worth buying.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JLuis_001

Jul 10, 2019

An interesting different perspective for Hamlet that unfortunately only stays in that; interesting because it never seems to be 100% sure what way to take with the narrative and how to take it in a good way that's surprising considering the material lent itself to something more proactiveAn interesting different perspective for Hamlet that unfortunately only stays in that; interesting because it never seems to be 100% sure what way to take with the narrative and how to take it in a good way that's surprising considering the material lent itself to something more proactive and convincing and not so passive

No doubt a film with a feminist perspective and that's not a bad thing for all those who are offended by that word but this film stays in the same line of recent films like: Effie Gray, Madame Bovary, Mary Shelley and Mary Queen of Scots, which are stories featuring interesting and solid female characters to whom writers and directors find it difficult to do them justice.

At least Daisy Ridley shows she has the guns to continue with her career after Star Wars.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

RobCJameson

Oct 31, 2020

Too ambitious to ignore, but too fabricated to remember, Ophelia is not exactly a super hot mess of a film, but the proper foundation is already in their hands, and they wasted it on a mediocre execution on this fresh feministic take of a well-regarded story about love and betrayal. DaisyToo ambitious to ignore, but too fabricated to remember, Ophelia is not exactly a super hot mess of a film, but the proper foundation is already in their hands, and they wasted it on a mediocre execution on this fresh feministic take of a well-regarded story about love and betrayal. Daisy Ridley and Naomi Watts remain consistently strong in this another "one-of-those-missed-opportunity" movies.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

amheretojudge

Jul 6, 2019

Maybe, maybe a smart move, but don't forget that the "maybe" is in capitals.

Ophelia McCarthy is not around, let's say, the best circle. Which also isn't an excuse for the director Claire McCarthy to print something so sloppy as this version. The version has the source William Shakespeare,Maybe, maybe a smart move, but don't forget that the "maybe" is in capitals.

Ophelia

McCarthy is not around, let's say, the best circle. Which also isn't an excuse for the director Claire McCarthy to print something so sloppy as this version. The version has the source William Shakespeare, the endless mine that everyone digs gleefully. How rich has his world to be, that a fortune is spent every time in every good or bad possible way and yet not a dime rusts by. The literature belittles the feature more, since it comes with a guarantee card of working for nine out of ten times. And oh! to walk over that one line. The film takes part as much as the titled character does in this tale.

For the most part of it, it is fabricated as a point of view of a spectator and so there is another wall between us and the real drama including the screen. And then when it takes part, the narrative shifts from third person storytelling to first person. Now, the makers ask us to be moved or touched by the gesture or actions that merits only in that very frame but wishes to carry the weight of all the characters and all their tracks and all the elements gifted to us, by then.

It is bound to break its backbone, as the sheer pressure extracts the malleability from the posture, and as a result you won't be able to stand this debacle. In fact, I would blame the performance too. Yes, Naomi Watts has to cloak in for a blaming game, but the fingers are pointed to no one and the real tears, dry. Clive Owen feels like a tourist and cries to rule the home, while Ophelia played by Daisy Ridley, the heart of the politics, remains more like meant-to-be the heart of the politics.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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