Scarlet movie review: An fantasy drama that reimagines Hamlet | Movie-review News
3 min readUpdated: Feb 6, 2026 09:18 AM IST
Scarlet movie review: Mamoru Hosoda-directed animated fantasy Scarlet is an ambitious attempt to create an epic experience in which the tragic story of Hamlet is given an even darker twist. In this time-bending drama, Princess Scarlet is a medieval-era, expert sword-fighter on a mission to avenge the death of her father. Making the protagonist a furious princess grappling with grief and rage makes the narrative a strong, edgy emotional core.
In a nod to the original play, the initial scenes of Scarlet take place in Denmark in the 16th century. King Amleth, Scarlet’s father, who is against wars, is branded as a “traitor” by his brother Claudius (Koji Yakusho) and executed. Scarlet vows vengeance, but poisoned by Claudius, wakes up in the Otherworld.
All the people around her in the Otherworld are dead and trying to find their way to eternity. There, Scarlet encounters idealistic Hijiri, a young medic from our present day, who helps her to heal. Also, shows her the possibility of a future free of bitterness. However, when she encounters her father’s killer again, Scarlet must choose between revenge and breaking the cycle of hatred.
The screenplay, written by Hosoda, reinterprets the Shakespearean play in an aesthetically-impressive setting. It creates several striking dramatic moments — from Amleth being denounced as a traitor and executed, to a furious Scarlet, on horseback and sword in hand, attacking her opponents. The film’s narrative unfolds on a massive canvas, with Scarlet criss-crossing timelines, while exploring themes of guilt, obsession and rage.
What seems magnificent about the latest feature from Hosoda, who was nominated for the Oscar for Mirai (2018), also works against it. Even though the film’s detailed aesthetic that blends traditional hand-drawn animation with 3D CG, is brilliant, the intense narrative feels crowded with too many elements.
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Yet, what stays with the audience about the movie, which was an official selection of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), is the depiction of a strong and complex female protagonist, who is driven by love, grief, trauma and rage. In spite of the film spending most of its runtime dwelling on how she copes with her tremendous loss and treachery, the film offers her an opportunity to heal. While retribution remains its dominant theme, Scarlet veers its story towards forgiveness.
Scarlet movie Director: Mamoru Hosoda
Scarlet Cast: Mana Ashida, Masaki Okada, Kazuhiro Yamaji, Tokio Emoto, Munetaka Aoki, Shota Sometani
Scarlet Rating: 2 and a half stars
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