HAMLET 2 is corny, stupid, ridiculous and ludicrous, all at the same time ...which helps it succeed on some bizarre, comedic level.
Steven Coogan (TROPIC THUNDER), the king of losers, stars as Dana Marschz, a failing drama teacher at a high school where only two students regularly attend his classes. His loser status is enhanced throughout the film as his job faces the school district's financial axe, his wife Brie (Catherine Keener, AN American CRIME) runs off with another loser, and his classroom becomes overrun by gangbanger wannabes who've been run out of their own building. But with the new infusion of students comes an opportunity for Dana. Always wanting to produce his own musical/drama stage play, he comes up with a great idea: Hamlet 2. Yes, THAT Hamlet. "But doesn't everyone die at the end of Hamlet?" someone asks rather perceptively.
Though this be madness, yet there is method in it. I think...
Hamlet 2 is just ...wrong. Wrong on every level imaginable. Religiously, philosophically, and instructionally, this is just so ...wrong! Which makes it just a tad alright. As Dana unleashes his play, great and terrible things come out, including Christian extremists and art critics. When the phenomenal stage song "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" begins playing, it proves just how off-kilter this film really is. Which, again, makes it a touch okay. "I get it now! Jesus is sexy!" The film lacks coherency in terms of a distinct direction. It seems that the goal of the film is for Dana to hit rock bottom before succeeding with an impossibly absurd stage story sequel to one of the greatest plays of all time.
The funny thing about Hamlet 2 is that the acting is really bad. And it appears that it is MEANT to be bad so that there is bad acting within a story that's about bad acting (and writing). Even so, this hints at the level of comedy that director Andrew Fleming was shooting for; a layer upon layer theme that works and doesn't work.
But, if for no other reason, you need to watch the film to see the "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" number. It is so bad, it's good.
Steven Coogan (TROPIC THUNDER), the king of losers, stars as Dana Marschz, a failing drama teacher at a high school where only two students regularly attend his classes. His loser status is enhanced throughout the film as his job faces the school district's financial axe, his wife Brie (Catherine Keener, AN American CRIME) runs off with another loser, and his classroom becomes overrun by gangbanger wannabes who've been run out of their own building. But with the new infusion of students comes an opportunity for Dana. Always wanting to produce his own musical/drama stage play, he comes up with a great idea: Hamlet 2. Yes, THAT Hamlet. "But doesn't everyone die at the end of Hamlet?" someone asks rather perceptively.
Though this be madness, yet there is method in it. I think...
Hamlet 2 is just ...wrong. Wrong on every level imaginable. Religiously, philosophically, and instructionally, this is just so ...wrong! Which makes it just a tad alright. As Dana unleashes his play, great and terrible things come out, including Christian extremists and art critics. When the phenomenal stage song "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" begins playing, it proves just how off-kilter this film really is. Which, again, makes it a touch okay. "I get it now! Jesus is sexy!" The film lacks coherency in terms of a distinct direction. It seems that the goal of the film is for Dana to hit rock bottom before succeeding with an impossibly absurd stage story sequel to one of the greatest plays of all time.
The funny thing about Hamlet 2 is that the acting is really bad. And it appears that it is MEANT to be bad so that there is bad acting within a story that's about bad acting (and writing). Even so, this hints at the level of comedy that director Andrew Fleming was shooting for; a layer upon layer theme that works and doesn't work.
But, if for no other reason, you need to watch the film to see the "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" number. It is so bad, it's good.