O

Othello is Moorish, so let's make him a black American teenage basketballer and load the soundtrack up with hip-hop. Nailed it. Has some interesting elements, but it's pretty typical of the time, self-serious and pretentious but bland as hell. And Iago's Machiavellian manipulations seem absurd in the context, not to mention coming from Josh Hartnett and his bizarre haircut.

Stripped of its poetry and boiled down to the grisly facts, Shakespeare's "Othello" is just another tale of jealousy and envy.

The film was very, very weak. I don't know who to blame more, either: Mekhi Phifer, the co-star, or Tim Blake Nelson, the director, all the dialog felt corny and forced; everything was unbelievable. I'm not planning on watching any movies with either of them ever again.

Shakespeare called. He said to knock it off.

An attempt to tell OTHELLO in completely modern and contemporary terms as a DAWSON’S CREEK style teen drama is interesting at first (especially anchored by Phifer’s simmering ‘O’, and a nicely forceful supporting part for Sheen), but ultimately turns Shakespeare’s tale into semi-laughable melodrama (especially as the bodies start to pile-up towards the finale). It is the richness of the language that’s missing here, though even Shakes knew not to take his tragedy plots *this* earnestly!

I'm in two minds about this particular setting for this adaptation -- there's something a little off and unreal about these students going through the Shakespeare-isms and dramatics, yet the story does seem to gel well with the preppy boarding school shenanigans, and the great dialogue and great acting from Phifer and Sheen help it.

Thou shalt not watch this!

Being one of my favorite Shakspeare plays I may come of a tad bias, but I truly believe it is because of this film that Othello became my favorite. This film follows to a perfection the plot of the play and very realistically aplies it to modern times , disguising a four century old work in perfect manner. This film is very well done and very well acted and is sure to entertain just about anyone who is willing to give it a chance.

#11#, story, Julia S.

Really not a bad modernized version of Othello.

This movie was one of the best I've yet to see. very recommended.

Took forever to be released...Would have been best to leave it alone.

I thought it was quite a good take on Othello but I'm in the minority here.

Criminally underrated update on the classic tale Othello. O is probably quickly dismissed as just another teen drama, but it has many artistic depths and unexpectedly strong performances. Highly recommended.

Retelling of a great shakespeare tale of pure brilliance. So the story couldnt go wrong.. Too bad it was a teen movie.

Shakespeare's vision comes to the screen exactly as he dreamt it.

Come on! Shakespeare on the basketball court. What's not to love? Hartnett is great as the scheming and treacherous Hugo. I would have given the movie in the nhigh seventees, but as with any movie she is staring in, Julia Stiles costs the movie at least 15 points. She is as always terrible!

Josh Hartnett deserves a throat punch and Shakespeare deserves new fertilizer, poor fellow.

"Shakespeare's Othello meets Columbine in this messy little teen drama." - Ed Gonzalez

Veers all over the place, eventually landing in self-parody. Taken seriously by an underqualified cast, though the idea shows promise.

Some of it works, but the characters are too young, on the whole, to carry the tragic character of the play. It loses a little by this.

pretty solid

Proof you can eat a shakespear play. Shit it out. Change the setting, location, time period. Put mustard on it, eat it, vomit it out, and it still will come out as watchable.