I am drawn to stories that re-examine famous tales but from different points of view than we are used to, the idea of centering different characters so that we experience some time told tale with new insight is fascinating to me. The idea of the film Ophelia is that idea. While not an entirely new idea (retelling Hamlet from Ophelia's point of view has been a touchstone of feminist criticism for decades) it remains a very effective tool. And Claire McCarthy's film treads some new ground, while telling a truly engaging story.
Ophelia shows us the story not just from the younger woman's perspective but from the play's other legendary female character Gertrude. The King is abusive and neglectful. Claudius is caring if ambitious. Polonius is a loving father but weak. Hamlet himself is selfish and spoiled. It is Ophelia and Gertrude who are the complicated ones with agency beyond what Shakespeare envisioned for them.
Stories like this can be challenging as we know where things will go so the task is to invest us in how it will get there. Well McCarthy does this, making a beautiful film which invests us in Ophelia in ways he hadn't before and gives meaning to the words of the play (although the language isn't Shakespeare's prose the film sticks close to the meaning while imbuing a new way of understanding them) which helps us experience the story differently.
Ridley is powerful in her take on Ophelia. She has just the right mix of strength and vulnerability to make the character meet McCarthy's vision. And Watts truly makes the film, in a duel role which explores numerous natures of the burdens laid on women in western culture. Ophelia may be the centre of this tale, but Gertrude is the battle scarred survivor whose choices lead her to survive.
My main complaint is the economy of the film. I felt it rushed somewhat through Hamlet's plot points. I enjoyed what the film was doing and wanted to see if explore this more, with perhaps even more intricately than the short run time allows. Still what it does pack in here is interesting and its perspective is one I appreciated more than I thought I would.
I enjoyed the ending, one that I imagine will be controversial. It is rooted in Shakespeare's tales so it isn't without precedent. I like the idea that Ophelia's story isn't entirely known to us, that perhaps he held on to something more that we aren't entitled to.
Ophelia
Starring: Daisy Ridley, Naomi Watts, Clive Owen, George MacKay, Tom Felton, Devon Terrell, Dominic Mafham
Director: Claire McCarthy
Writer: Semi Chellas
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