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‘Hamlet 2' nearly a complete waste of film

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“Hamlet 2” starring Steve Coogan sparked my interest early on. The concept of a high school drama teacher writing and putting on a comical sequel to Shakespeare's “Hamlet” intrigued me. Everyone dies. How can there be a sequel? Even though my main purpose for attending screenings lies in my deep love for movies, I do often watch in hopes of finding some tiny aspect of a film that might help me teach 21st century kids to appreciate literature. “Hamlet 2” will never enter into my curriculum, not even the most minuscule snippet of it. This by no means should be taken to mean I hated the film, but its R-rating is well earned.

High school drama teacher Dana Marschz (Coogan) wants more than anything to be an actor and has performed in commercials (for treatment of herpes and juice machines), but because of his limited talent and lack of an agent, he is relegated to teaching high school drama. Needing support other than the marijuana dealing his wife Brie (Catherine Keener) carries on on the side, Marschz has to accept his predicament and make the best of things. Unfortunately, he has only two dedicated students, until that is, his class is made the dumping ground for thugs and misfits dropped from other non-academic programs.

Soon Marschz learns that his drama course is on the chopping block too and with his newly-formed band of rebels, he decides to perform a controversial play, which he penned himself, called “Hamlet 2: A continuation of the tragedy ‘Hamlet the Prince of Denmark' by William Shakespeare.” What's more, Marschz's play is riddled with sex, sacrilege and time travel, and it is a musical. Immediately the principal and community are up in arms trying to stop production.

Coogan is hilarious as the over-dramatic drama enthusiast and mediocre thespian. If not for him, I may have found more to dislike in “Hamlet 2.” Regardless, Coogan can't make up for the lack of character development provided by a weak and transparent script. The viewer is given very little time to get to know, much less care about, the characters. Marschz's prize students Epiphany Sellars (Phoebe Strole) and Rand Posin (Skylar Astin) don't take well to the new students, and Epiphany can't seem to help herself when she spews out just about every possible racial slur and stereotypical comment. And Rand has to have a secret thing for teacher. Both Strole and Astin are perfect in their parts, as are the others that make up members of the new class. There are also a couple of funny bit parts - played by Elisabeth Shue (as herself) and Amy Poehler (as Cricket Feldstein).

I cannot say it enough though, were it not for Coogan, the entire film might be a complete waste. As it stands, his amusingly eager performance pulls out some real laughs. The gags involving Marschz's relentless determination in the face of any semblance of common sense might have gotten old if Coogan didn't give the part just enough dignity and pride to make viewers care if he actually completes his eccentric work of art.

Like his protagonist, director Andrew Fleming seems to survive by sheer determination and tenacity. Neither surrenders to good taste, and Fleming and co-screenwriter Pam Brady rely mainly on vulgarity and utterly shocking silliness - just enough to offer some laughs and keep “Hamlet 2” from being sucked under by a flimsy storyline and one-dimensional, clichéd characters.

The new kids in Marschz's class appear to be kids right out of “Dangerous Minds,” but instead of rebelling, they jump right in with their obviously unhinged leader and agree to perform in a play that makes little-to-no sense to them at all. One student, Octavio (Joseph Julian Soria), has every marking of a street gangster, when in reality he lives in an upscale home with a multi-novel author father and artist mother. In spite of his parents' obvious disdain for the script of “Hamlet 2” and any notable personal motivation, Octavio agrees to star in the play.

There is one excellently funny musical number called “Rock me Sexy Jesus” that - like any good musical number should - sticks in your head. Forget that it is sacrilegious and that Marschz himself plays a sexy, dancing son of God. The song is fun. As one character puts it, it is simultaneously horrifying and strangely fascinating. Bizarrely enough, however, the musical parts of “Hamlet 2” that we, the audience, get to see - in an extremely twisted way - seem to make sense. Not much more of the film does, and its transparent story did little to hold my interest throughout.

The tag line for the film speaks volumes: “One high school drama teacher is about to make a huge number 2.” And that is about right. “Hamlet 2” is crap, but it is funny crap, at least at times, but be warned: it is often that uncomfortable, awkward laughter - chuckles at the blatant asininity of it all - and it is fiercely politically incorrect. I am placing a C- in my grade book. My friend's teenage daughter (a musical theater nut) and her friends loved it, but I did not.

For more of Laurie's reviews and opportunities to get passes for upcoming screenings and other great prizes, visit www.true viewreviews.net.

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