12 Best Film Adaptations Of Shakespeare's Tragedies
7. O
Based On: Othello
Adaptation:
This is a loose adaptation of Othello set in high school. Mekhi Phifer plays Odin James (Othello), a basketball champion manipulated by his teammate Hugo (Iago) into believing his girlfriend Desi (Desdemona) is cheating on him. Josh Hartnett and Julia Stiles also star as Hugo and Desi respectively. It doesn't use Shakespeare's dialogue.
Romeo + Juliet gets all the focus, but O is another modern retelling of a Shakespeare tragedy featuring teenagers that is even better.
This is one appallingly underrated movie. The idea of Othello is high school sounds ridiculous, but surprisingly, despite lacking the dialogue and being only 90 minutes long, it actually conveys the play's power incredibly well (although it's not as complex as the play).
Aside from an over-acting Martin Sheen, an overly unlikable Cassio and too many attempts to explain the normally motiveless Iago's motives, this is a very well-judged adaptation. Backed by a strong, hard-hitting and pathos-filled script, the story of Odin's descent into madness is genuinely powerful and upsetting. The film is further enhanced by its pleasingly gritty, R-rated delivery, stylish direction from Tim Blake Nelson, a clever soundtrack that mixes hip-hop and opera and genuinely great performances from the young cast.
Mekhi Phifer's intense lead performance and Julia Stiles' performance as Desi are great but most pleasantly surprising is the normally weak Josh Hartnett, who's truly chilling as Hugo. Interestingly, this was the same year as his ghastly work in Pearl Harbour.
On the whole, an underrated gem.