This latest version of Hamlet begins with a death ritual. Riz Ahmed , as the title character, washes his father’s body, surrounded by his uncle, Claudius, and other men as a Hindu priest recites from the Bhagavad Gita . That scene instantly and viscerally grounds you in the title character’s overpowering grief. It’s an inspired addition to Shakespeare’s play, and proof of how illuminating it can be to tweak one of the world’s masterpieces.

Unfortunately, Aneil Karia’s film gets rockier from there. Setting the story in an Indian community in London works beautifully. Here the play-within-a play that acts out Claudius’ murder of Hamlet’s father is a dance by an Indian troupe, an eloquent touch. It’s the details of transporting the play to the present day and trying to make it cinemati

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