Everyone's favorite film critic Hideo Kojima has nothing but praise for Chloé Zhao's new drama Hamnet. He was so blown away by it, in fact, he reckons the Eternals director "must be a witch" to be able to craft such a spell-binding, heartwrenching film.
"I watched Hamnet at a screening," he recently took to social media to reveal. "In just 126 minutes, it encapsulates all the sorrow, pain, loss, fear, love and joy, healing and hope found in life across all times and cultures. That beautiful final scene has the power to rewrite the history of cinema. It lays bare the miracle of movies. To be able to create something like this, Chloé Zhao must be a witch, or perhaps an angel."
Based on Maggie O'Farrell's historical fiction book of the same name, Hamnet charts the relationship between William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and Agnes (Jessie Buckley, who's up for Best Actress at this year's Academy Awards) – and the sudden death of their 11-year-old son, Hamnet. Inspired by Shakespeare's works and the real-life tragedy, it posits that Hamnet's passing inspired the Bard to write Hamlet.
In his review, Kojima drew particular attention to a touching moment in the movie's third act, which sees a grief-stricken, lonely Agnes travel from Stratford-upon-Avon to London to finally see what her husband has been working on in the weeks since Hamnet succumbed to the plague. As Hamlet (Noah Jupe) dies on stage, Agnes extends her hand in silence to soothe the actor, before several other audience members do the same.
Nominated in eight categories at the Oscars 2026, Hamnet is also up for Best Casting, Best Director, Best Picture.
For more, check out our picks of the most exciting upcoming movies heading our way.
