How Does the Setting Affect the Character

The setting for the most part takes place in the Castle in Elsinor. This has an affect on Hamlet's actions and behaviour. The castle gives him the perfect place to be alone and think. He is able to plot and plan, perhaps too much. If he had been in a say more distracting, open environment or one where he was in closer quarters with others he may have spent less time plotting and would have challenged Claudius right off the bat. The labyrinth of tunnels, halls, high up vantage points and concealed niches also allows Hamlet the opportunity to effectively spy and listen in on others. In the film he hides and sees Rosencrantz and Guildenstern  go directly to report to the king after leaving his own company, prompting him to be even more suspicious of them. He also overhears Ophelia agree to Polonius's demand that she stay away from Hamlet. This perhaps influences the prince's to decision to pretend to be mad. He may have thought that Ophelia did not care for him all that much and so, pretending to be insane would not affect her detrimentally. Elsinor as a setting also acts as a trap for Hamlet. It forces him constantly be reminded of the duty he must perform. If he were outside of Denmark or even in a different place as the King and Queen he may have been able to think more clearly and possibly come up with a proper plan of action to get back his throne. Finally, the grey walls of the castle and it's dimly lit interior create a rather dark atmosphere which may have helped fuel Hamlet's anger and his depression in which he contemplates suicide.

Were his Actions Appropriate?

Hamlet's (in the film) were very much appropriate. He shows a depressed manner in the opening of the film as one would expect of an individual e=who had just lost his father. Throughout the rest of the movie, Hamlet is energetic in his 'madness' (again as expected, he's having fun with it) and often adopts an angry, frustrated manner during many of of his moments of private contemplation (soliloquies) as he plots and plans, sometimes even shouting out his words to the audience. This is exactly appropriate behaviour for an angry young man seeking revenge for his father but frustrated by the obstacles thrown in his path by his own self because of his subconscious fear to carry out the deed and challenge his uncle. The Hamlet of the film also shows the appropriate behaviour towards his mother (perhaps except for the evident incestuous undertones which may or may not be implied in the play). He often talks to her with a derisive tone of voice. When reading the play Hamlet's loathing of his mother for marrying Claudius so shortly after the death of her husband is very apparent. As such it is expected that he would talk to her in the manner seen in the film, angry and emotional. Thus, it can be confidently be concluded that in the movie, the character of Hamlet performs no actions and acts in no manner which falls outside what could be expected of him by reading the play.

Was the Choice of Actor a Good One?

Yes, the choice of Mel Gibson to play Hamlet was a good one. He is (at the time of the film) the right age the right age to be believed as being a young prince just returned from university in Germany. Gibson is not too thin or too well built and has the sort of light footed energetic quality one might imagine in Hamlet (as opposed to say Macbeth in which the audience imagines an older more weathered and experienced warrior). He is also able to show the varying emotional states which are adopted by the character in the play. He shows jubilation when he sees his uncle's reaction to the travelling performer's play and a witty, maddening (teasing, to the audience who knows he's only faking madness) display toward Polonius in the library to name a few examples. Gibson also handles Hamlet's frequent soliloquies very well, often shouting and showing anger and despair to illustrate the character's internal conflicts, struggles and thoughts. Mel Gibson was therefore, a very good choice for the part of Hamlet. His build, age, energy and emotion (especially the use of facial expressions) capture the character perfectly and help to portray his personality.