Sundance Review: Daisy Ridley's OPHELIA is an Unexpected Masterpiece

When I go to Sundance, I expect to see lots of low budget movies filmed with incredible acting and decent storytelling. I don't expect anything too mind-blowing though. Which is why when I saw Ophelia, I was incredibly surprised by how great of a film it was.

Now, I understand that I am somewhat biased for this film, not only does it star Daisy Ridley, who I absolutely adore, but it also revolves around the Shakespearean story of Hamlet. And if there is one thing I love more than comic books, it's Shakespeare. So, I'll try to be as unbiased as possible while giving this review. Even though the film is based on Hamlet, it is told from the perspective of Ophelia and gives hints to a hidden narrative beyond Hamlet.

The film was beautifully shot and was filled with stunning visuals. The very first frame was gorgeous and then it only got better from there. It was like every frame was a work of art. All the actors were fantastic in their roles. Each character was given so much more depth than the original play they are based on.

The film uses language similar to Shakespeare, and even has some of the famous lines, but does not go into verse or rhyme. The story was filled with so much mystery and intrigue and I was hooked on every frame of the film.

The film stars Clive Owen as Claudius, who was deliciously evil, which was a delight to see, especially after seeing his poor performance in Valerian. The movie also stars Naomi Watts, who stole the show, giving levels and layers to the character Gertrude that is not often considered. Of course, Daisy Ridley was my favorite, though. She has such a charm on screen that it's hard to not like her. She plays the strong-willed heroine very well.

This movie is so great that I hope it gets littered with Oscar nominations next year. For something. ANYTHING. The costumes and sets felt so period but managed to stun. I find it hard to find fault in this movie. As a Shakespeare fan, this movie gave me so much to enjoy while also being able to see so much goodness as just a simple movie.

Ten out of Ten. This movie has reached the echelons of my top favorite movies of all times, and I hope to be able to have it remain there for awhile.