Hamnet - Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Hamnet



Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:

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Movie
I’m not usually a fan of fictional stories about Shakespeare (Shakespeare In Love is one of my most loathed films of all time), but when I saw the massive critical acclaim around Chloe Zhao’s adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s NYT best seller, I figured I’d give it a go. I’d most likely not like it, but when a film gets massive critical reception, it behooves me to at least check it out. Lo and behold, Hamnet turned out to be a fantastic film. A heartfelt slow burn drama that hits all the right notes and uses some incredible cinematography to tell a “what if?” story regarding Shakespeare’s creation of one of his most famous stage productions.

Now, before we go on. Hamnet is based on a few sparse facts regarding William Shakespeare’s life, and then COMPLETELY fabricated a tale around it. All we really know is that William had married Anne Hathaway (sometimes referred to as Agnes, based on his father’s will) and they had 3 children, with their 11-year-old son Hamnet dying from the plague. And if I’m being completely honest, that actually works to the story’s advantage here. Instead of being bogged down by “this is what ACTUALLY happened”, the storytellers are able to craft their own narrative and tie it in to his creation of “Hamlet” in a fairly clever way.

The story is rather simple, but it is more of a slow burn, so that the 2-hour and 5-minute film plays out naturally. It starts out with William Shakespeare (Mescal) falling in love with a headstrong “witchy woman” named Agnes (Jessie Buckley), resulting in a child. Both her family and his despised the idea of their marriage, but the two insist, and soon a burgeoning family is upon them with the addition of twins Judith and Hamnet. But William is meant for the pen, not manual labor, and soon his desires lean towards London, where he can use his creative skills for the theater. But that means Agnes and the kids have to stay at home while William travels to London for months on end with only scant returns. And sooner or later, the plague that is ravaging London reaches out to their remote area, almost taking Judith and taking young Hamnet before the poor father can return.

Stricken with grief, Agnes blames William for not being there for his family, and William blames himself for the same thing. While she lives her grief viscerally and bitterly, he absorbs himself into his work, ostracizing himself from this family even further. Bit by bit, the wedge between the couple grows and grows until finally William can express his anguish and grief in the only way he knows how. A little play that you may know as “Hamlet”.

While this is a story about William Shakespeare, most things are told through the lens of Agnes, with her grief and her biases shaping the story more than William’s. We see the children through her eyes, and even William’s grief through them as well. It’s not till the final 30 minutes when the playwright unveils his latest play that we FINALLY get to see the man’s anguish on full display, told through his point of view (in play form that is). It’s a clever little twist, and while the movie is definitely a slow burn, it has a fantastic payoff in the end.

To make things even better, the performances by Mescal and Buckley are phenomenal. Mescal is a very conservative and gentle approach to the legendary character, but it’s Jessie Buckley who absolutely steals every scene she’s in. I have no way to describe it other than “powerhouse”. Agnes is an incredibly powerful and visceral character, cutting through all of the female mousiness of the era, instead giving us a woman who is strong, deep, and full of feeling while maintaining a sense of strength and power. Her emotions are felt by everyone watching, and not once could I take my eyes off her. Winning two Golden Globe awards, Hamnet deserves every single win, and likely even the nominations it didn’t win. I’m usually one who ignores fictional telling of Shakespeare (never found one I liked), but this is that elusive unicorn that manages to hit every string perfectly, and not in a cloying or “baity” sort of way.




Rated PG-13 for thematic content, some strong sexuality, and partial nudity.




Video:

Using a limited color grading and chromatic palette for this product, Hamnet comes to Blu-ray with a new picture-perfect image that just maximizes the capabilities of the 1080p format. Lots of differing shades of black, brown, and green craft the Shakespearean drama, with brilliant use of primary colors in that spectrum (ESPECIALLY green and brown). Fine details are resplendent, from the creases and lines in Agnes’ face as she ages throughout the film, to the rough-hewn lumber used to create the Tudor period homes. Black levels are amazing, and I didn’t see a hint of banding, and only the SLIGHTEST amount of crush in a few interior shots. Overall, this is a perfect (or at least SO close that it’s hard to tell the difference) transfer.








Audio:

Sporting the same Atmos track as the 4K UHD (thank you Universal), the mix is sporty and light, with a lot of ambient energy utilizing the surrounds and overheads. Things like forest activity when Agnes is out gathering berries, or the rumbling of the crowd during the final performance of “Hamlet,” where you can hear little scrapes and whispers from just about everywhere. Bass isn’t super heavy, but it’s still a nice experience, with a great score and a very well-placed dialogue track. It may not be a heavy-hitting Atmos track, but it makes good use of all channels, despite not showcasing a lot of discrete activity. PERSONALLY, I would rate this at 4.25/5, but opted for 4/5 simply due to the fact that this isn't a wildly active mix.










Extras:

• Family is Forever — Step behind the scenes of HAMNET and witness the heartwarming connections forged between Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, and the young “Shakespeare children,” culminating in a moving performance of Macbeth’s witches and unforgettable moments with director Chloé Zhao.
• Cultivating Creativity — Discover how Chloé Zhao’s visionary direction and infectious warmth inspired Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, and Maggie O’Farrell to bring HAMNET to life. Join the cast and crew as they share joyful memories and celebrate the creative magic behind the scenes.
• Recreating the Tudor Period — Explore the extraordinary craftsmanship that built HAMNET’s immersive Tudor world, from the stunning recreation of the Globe Theatre to the meticulous period costumes and sets. This featurette invites you to experience the artistry that made history come alive.
• Director's Commentary with Chloe Zhao

Final Score: ​

Hamnet genuinely surprised me as I’m not a big fan of this sort of period piece drama regarding Shakespeare. I was expecting to come out of my viewing with a lackluster rating, as I did with Shakespeare in Love, only for it to be the very opposite. Out of all the fictional Shakespeare biopics, this one is a sweet and endearing slow-burning drama that doesn’t let go of you till the very end. The Blu-ray looks and sounds fantastic, as expected, and fans of the movie will be pleased with the fairly robust extras as well. Recommended if you enjoy period piece dramas.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Zac Wishart, Justine Mitchell, Emily Watson
Directed by: Chloe Zhao
Written by: Chloe Zhao, Maggie O'Farrell
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 AVC
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Core), French, Spanish DD 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Studio: Universal Studios
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 125 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: March 3rd, 2026

Recommendation: Highly Recommended