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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: Universal Studios
Salesrank: 6861
Released: December 21, 2008 |
| Our Price: $5.14 |
| Used Price: $2.51 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Genre: Comedy
Rating: R
Release Date: 23-DEC-2008
Media Type: DVD
Description of Hamlet 2:
Just when it seems as if things can't get any worse for high-school drama teacher Dana Marschz (Steve Coogan), he quips, "My life is a parody of a tragedy." Yet that very ability to laugh in the face of defeat will allow this failed actor to triumph over adversity. A lovably ridiculous dreamer like Waiting for Guffman’s Corky St. Clair, Marschz lives in Tucson with his sarcastic wife (Catherine Keener) and their silent boarder (David Arquette). Though he tries to inspire, like Richard Dreyfuss in Mr. Holland's Opus, only two students (Spring Awakening’s Skylar Astin and Phoebe Strole) share his passion for theatrics. When the principal decides to eliminate his department, Marschz makes a bold move: he writes an original play, lets the class contribute their own unique talents, and puts the whole thing on as a fundraiser (they'll need to bring in $6,000). Sure, everyone dies at the end of Shakespeare's classic, but in Marschz’s musical sequel, Hamlet 2, a time machine allows the Danish prince to turn back the clock to set things right. Just as his production starts to take shape and retired actress Elisabeth Shue (played by Shue) offers her support, his marriage hits the rocks, he starts drinking again, and the community protests against numbers like "Rock Me Sexy Jesus." (Amy Poehler portrays his ACLU attorney.) Though Andrew Fleming’s comedy follows the usual inspirational instructor trajectory, ribald humor helps the medicine go down and Coogan gives his most unhinged performance since Tristram Shandy. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Stills from Hamlet 2 (Click for larger image)
Hamlet 2 Reviews:
Fans of parodies of musicals should not miss this one. 
2009-11-30 - I love Broadway-type musicals, but I also love when people take the piss out of 'em. Some great Mr. Show sketches ("Jeepers Creepers, Semi-Star", "The Joke") come to mind among others. The performance that climaxes this movie is really great, hilarious and surprisingly moving in moments, as well as very musically enjoyable with some clever lyrics and some actually VERY interesting staging ideas. Coogan's great in this and it's a great subversion of the usual "white teacher saves underprivileged students" cliches -- this character needs the students to save HIM. A very enjoyable film that kinda fell under the radar with all the high-profile comedies released last year.
"I'M SIMULTANEOUSLY HORRIFIED AND FASCINATED!"
2009-10-31 - Steve Coogan deserves most of the credit for making this familiar story go far beyond my expectations. His hilarious and demented performance had me laughing from beginning to end and the musical finale is absolutely hysterical. This film might not be for everyone and you certainly have to be in the right mood to enjoy it, but for those who like loopy, off the wall films with inspired insanity, this one is a big surprise and a lot of fun with some snappy tunes to boot!
Rock Me Sexy Jesus! 
2009-10-16 - 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.
Well worth a try
2009-07-11 - I wasn't prepared to like HAMLET 2, but solid acting, witty lines and loopy plot turns had me enjoying the movie thoroughly.
A would-be playwright actor, the unpronounceable Dana Marschz (Steve Coogan), has reached rock bottom in his attempt to turn popular movies into stage plays; his take on Eric Brockovich is so lacking he gets run out of town. So Dana leads his ragtag rep company (wife played by Cynthia Keener, buddy by David Arquette) into uncharted territory: Tucson, Arizona. There he stumbles upon a gig as drama teacher at "West Mesa High School," a down-at-the-heels edu-barn whose programs are constantly being cut down to nothing.
**SPOILERS** At first, Dana's largely minority drama students don't see much in this white interloper, but eventually he wins them over -- not by cunning or caring but because in Dana's alcoholism and failure, the students feel sorry for HIM. (And help him, a fun inversion on the usual [and occasionally patronizing] film like STAND AND DELIVER or DEAD POET'S SOCIETY.) Dana's neediness and overall air of incompetence may put viewers in mind of "Corky St. Clair" from the Christopher Guest flick, WAITING FOR GUFFMAN.
So Dana and Company help each other into a sequel of one of the most sequel-proof plays in Western Civilization -- Hamlet. Actually, the resulting "Hamlet 2" doesn't seem to have that much to do with Shakespeare's treasure, but much of it resembles "Jesus Christ Superstar." (By now, you can guess who plays Jesus.)**
This is a cue for some of the most knowing (i.e., most hilariously awful) parodies of modern Broadway song and dance, from early Andrew Lloyd Weber through post-millenial "Rent," full scaffolding and all. Largely written by the production staff and apparently sung by a pick-up crew, these song howlers include titles like "I Love You, Sexy Jesus," "Raped in the Face," and "(You're as) Gay as the Day is Long" ("You like it all sizes, but you love it extra long"). Thank heaven no one was allowed in or out of the auditorium once this once-in-a-lifetime experience was experienced!
Delightful performances in HAMLET 2, first of all the lead, Steve Coogan as Dana Marcz. Great support comes from a number of veterans including David Arquette, Catherine Keener and Elizabeth Shue; my personal favorite is "Corky Feldstein" played with liberal (in both senses of the word) delight by Amy Poehler as the ACLU lawyer who insists that the increasingly blasphemous and obscene play gets played. (No. Matter. What.)
Somewhere along the line, HAMLET 2 the film develops its own kind of lopsided sweetness, which is what redeems this feature-length film as more than just a thirty-minute "Family Guy" parody of Tin Pan Alley. I won't claim it is as good as WAITING FOR GUFFMAN but it has that kind of mock-the-genre touch and sympathetic (though comic) insight. Sadly, some of the language alone got this film an "R" rating; I for one think clued-in teens would have enjoyed this spoof when it originally played movie houses. Bells-and-whistles are adequate but the DVD lacks a running Commentary. Nonetheless, I recommend it.
Production Note: The film was actually shot in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Coulda been a contender
2009-07-06 - When I picked this up, I knew I would either laugh endlessly (as I did at Best in Show) or hate its testy and self-righteous smugness (Waiting for Guffman). Surprisingly, I had neither reaction. This is one of those sum is less than the whole of its parts products, where the more you reflect, the less you admire. I laughed aloud many times. I enjoyed myself overall. I did not regret in any way the time spent on this. But I would never watch it again. Lots of very clever and funny bits, plenty of effective sight gags, a screamingly funny Amy Poehler, a quirky, but not too quirky, Catherine Keener, and an over-the-top Steve Coogan all do not compensate for the fact that this film tries to have it both ways. Is it the inspirational teacher movie, the ragtag group of losers who bond to become a cohesive and successful unit, or is it a satire of the inspirational teacher movie? Well, it tries to be both, and thus becomes neither.
As well as indecisive, it also tackled too many themes for its own good. The drama critic bits were perfect, so funny I almost choked. (And a nice touch by someone who has no love of critics, I bet!) But the stereotype breaking moments, the anti-censorship attacks, the tormented sexuality, and the "I was molested as a child" stuff, were neither cleverly satirical nor effectively dramatic. If it was satire, it was way too limp. If drama, it was way too gooey. Just could not get a footing, and therefore was forced to end on a note so phony and stupid that whatever happened before was totally overwhelmed.
Worth a watch. But don't get your hopes too high.
