Simply A Masterpiece

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

All the best archetype literature, and Shakespeare's Hamlet is one of the top five pieces of literature in human history, deserves an examination of its archetype's roots. In fact there is nothing wrong taking an archetype and telling the story any way, for any ends. I am glad Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Eugene O'Neil and Sartre have told completely different stories with Orestes and Electra, that Ovid, Milton and Shelly have used Prometheus to very different ends. And of course going back to the Ur, the root of Hamlet is worthwhile as well. But at a certain point, if the portrayal has no art, if the acting is, well terrible despite an amazing amount of cast talent, then the exercise is useless. such is the case with this portrayal of the legend that Shakespeare used. That Shakespeare used it to create monumentally stunning work of drama on the human mind, justice, revenge does not mean the original he used is compelling, or that are ridiculously bad telling of that original has merit. It does not. Also I can not fathom that the writer/director of this dog is also the writer/director of Babette's Feast, which while not a great film, is a very good film. Skip this dog. if you want to know about the history of the Amleth/Amled archetype, get a non fiction work on it, and then rent one of the dozen available Shakespeare versions, or go afield and spend some time with Stoppards Rozenkrantz.sometimes going back to the roots, the original, is worse than disappointing, as is the case with this.

I went through the effort of hoping to find this on uk region 2 DVD, and shouldn't of bothered, the movie is simply awful! You'd expect a film starring, Gabriel Byrne, Christian Bale, Kate Beckinsale, Helen Mirren, Brian Cox, it would be excellent, but it's anything but excellent it's awful. the acting abilities of all these actors is just not there in this film, it's before they could act/before they were famous, in my opinion. The action scenes are so laughable, the plastic swords, the look and feel is totally unreal. It's shocking but seriously nobody can act, not 1 of these huge names nowadays can act in this early film. Christian Bale is completely unconvincing which is very surprising from him, easily his worst performance. I did start having doubts about this film with it's rrp being SOOO cheap to buy, but it was finding a place that stocked it. but if you must buy this, buy it for a laugh, and take it back! or if you simply collect Hamlet/Historic films or awant to see your favorite actor make a bad film. it was a waste of my money in all honesty, i liked the actors more before i saw this.

I saw this movie twice on TV while I was back home in Europe. I just loved it! Even though it was a rather long movie (cannot remember now was it 2 or 3 hours long). The story, a spin-off on Hamlet appealed to me more than the actual Hamlet. To support that, all the actors did their best.But, after I came to US, I wanted to see it again and I rented the "Royal Deceit". First when I saw that it is 89 minutes long I was surprised because I remembered it as a long movie. Then more surprises followed - bad ones. The 89 (or 85) minute versions are just simply butchered! The 89 min version starts with the narrative in which they explain what happens before we get in the village and see the Amled acting as he does. Narative is a pretty sorry substitute for a superb acting at the beginning of the 3 hour long movie - and in that version no one gives you on the plate what is going on. It is not only the beginning that was cut - there are scenes cut out in all the important parts of the film. The 3 hour version has an additional charm that one discovers for him/herself what is going on.In short, if you can, find the 3 hour version to see it. The 89 minute version is just a big time spoiler of a very good film - everything that weaves the story together is cut out. Another example how editing can undermine great acting and a script.

When I got over the initial surprise of what this movie was,(for some reason the writers of the blurb on the tape packaging don't want you to know), I found myself enjoying it.This is not Shakespeare's Hamlet, with poetry, dramatic speeches and opportunities for showy histrionics but a steadily paced re-telling of the original Norse legend.It's not for everybody but I found the combination of bleak Jutland scenery, calm voice-over narration and the momentum of the Royal intrigues fascinating and hypnotic.Good acting by the principals.