Much like Frank Costanza, I like to proclaim fiercely “I’m going in fresh!” whenever I watch a movie for the first time, but that approach backfired with Hamnet. Unbeknownst to me, it’s a non-spoiler that the story is a bit of historical fiction about “Will” Shakespeare, his wife Anne Hathaway (“Agnes” here) and their kids, adapted from the book by Maggie O’Farrell. The details are all right there on the back of the disc case, but nowhere on the poster image, and the big reveal in a dialogue name-drop doesn’t arrive until well past the halfway mark.
So, as director Chloe Zhao’s movie played out at her trademark ponderous pace (see her 2020 Oscar-winner Nomadland), I found myself jotting down “WHAT IS THIS MOVIE EVEN ABOUT?” It’s a lot of slice-of-life stuff about a free spirit and suspected witch (Jessie Buckley) and the Latin tutor (Paul Mescal) who falls for her, their ups and downs, his restless soul, and eventually a great personal loss. The raw, visceral, naturalistic acting by the two leads in particular carries us along no doubt, but without the knowledge of who they are and where they’re headed–the creation and debut of The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark–I’m not sure why we’re supposed to care.
Cinematographer Łukasz Żal brings us his bold, symmetrical compositions in a native 4K Dolby Vision image that perfectly fills the screen at a 16:9 aspect ratio with no black bars, resplendent with crisp focus that reveals individual blades of grass, countless freckles and the nuanced weave of fabric. The costumes are quite deliberate in their design, and their colors and subtle imperfections tell us much about the characters who wear them. The forest takes on varied shades of green, while the rich shadows are full of life.
While the Dolby Atmos audio is certainly not attempting to impress, it displays a refined brilliance nonetheless, notably in the way it reproduces nature. The wind often sounds like the woods themselves are breathing, a choice that leans into the local legend surrounding the mysterious Agnes. Dialogue is cleanly recorded although I missed the occasional word here and there for the accents.
Zhao’s audio commentary covers a wide range of topics and adds much to our appreciation of the film. So too do the three short featurettes, in which cast and crew discuss the acting, various technical aspects of the production and the prevailing quest for authenticity. Universal’s “collector’s edition” also includes an HD Blu-ray of the movie with the same extras plus a 4K digital copy.
The awards and nominations for Hamnet have been piling up, so I’d love to know if anyone else experienced the same confusion, or if I’m the only one who missed the boat.
Movie Details
- STUDIO: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
- FORMAT: Ultra HD 4K Blu-ray (March 3, 2026)
- THEATRICAL RELEASE YEAR: 2025
- ASPECT RATIO: 1.78:1
- HDR FORMATS: Dolby Vision, HDR10
- AUDIO FORMAT: Dolby Atmos with TrueHD 7.1 core
- LENGTH: 125 mins.
- MPAA RATING: PG-13
- DIRECTOR: Chloé Zhao
- STARRING: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, Jacobi Jupe, Olivia Lynes, Noah Jupe
Our Ratings
★★★★★★★★★★ Picture
★★★★★★★★★★ Sound
★★★★★★★★★★ Extra
Where to buy:
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