Josh Hartnett Movie:

Editorial Review:
When you compare O to William Shakespeare's Othello, you'll realize just how well this modern adaptation really works. Shakespeare's tragedy transfers nicely to the film's contemporary private school setting, where Othello is now Odin (Mekhi Phifer), star of the basketball team and the school's only African American student. Desdemona is Desi (Julia Stiles), the dean's daughter and Odin's girlfriend, and Iago is Hugo (Josh Hartnett), the coach's steroid-shooting son, who jealously plants seeds of doubt that fester in Odin's mind, leading them all to a tragically violent fate. As directed by Tim Blake Nelson (who played the dimwit Delmar in O Brother, Where Art Thou?), this is a clever and serious interpretation of Shakespeare that, sadly, was shelved for two years when its distributor balked at potential comparisons to the Columbine massacre. Such fears were pointless; this well-acted film delivers an anti-violence message that younger viewers will readily appreciate. --Jeff Shannon

O Reviews:
The movie was on point!
2009-09-19 - This movie was different from the original picture othello. It has different scence in this picture. Mekhi Phiffer and Julia Styles play a very awsome role in this picture. Well, i receive the two-disc special edition but it's all good. The movie was on point, i'm not saying it's the best, but on point. Thanks Amazon.


Dee Smalls
Decatur GA

Josh Hartnett only real reason to watch,OTHERWISE!
2009-06-30 - 5 stars for JOSH HARTNETT'S stunning,tour de force portrayal of the WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE villian Iago(renamed Hugo for the film),but only
just a star for the actual movie itself.First of all,I would like to
mention that this film had ENORMOUS POTENTIAL!But unfortunately,Hollywood
once again commited the outright ACT OF SACRILEGE to the TRUE WORKS OF
SHAKESPEARE by setting his "OTHELLO" in present day NORTH AMERICA!Not
only that,they once again resort to throwing in every modern OBSCENE
thing with the exception of your proverbial KITCHEN SINK just to draw
in every REBELIOUS TEENAGER OFF THE STREET THAT THEY CAN FIND to BRING
IN THE DOUGH AT THE BOX OFFICE!!!!!!!!!This TEENIE BOPPER movie has it
all: VULGAR LANGUAGE,DRUG USE,STRONG SEXUAL CONTENT AND DIALOGUE,AND
VIOLENCE!Yepper,that'll draw'em all in!PUUUUUUUUH-LEEEEEEASE!If they kept the same AWESOME cast of young thespians,were strictly faithful to SHAKESPEARE'S original,and had it set in the right time
period,the movie would be a TRUE CONTENDER without question!!!!!!!!

LOVE IT!
2009-03-29 - I hate reading Shakespeare but I LOVED this movie. It is definitely a must-see suspense film that is really worth watching.

0 (Two-disc SE)
2009-02-20 - This was one of the best movies of all times. It doesn't get any better than this.

o
2009-01-18 - if i could understand italian i would have probably enjoyed it.
was not aware it was an italian version