In a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s “Othello”, this controversial movie starring Mekhei Pfeiffer (ER, 8 Mile), Josh Hartnett, and Julia Stiles. This movie was supposed to be released back in ’99 but due to the school shootings in Columbine, it was shelved by the studio for a couple of years and re- released yet again in 2001.
Mekhei Pfeiffer plays “O” or Odin James, the only black man in a huge prominent prep school. Odin seems to have everything going for him, he has great grades in school, is MVP on the school basketball team, and has the love of the resident school hotty, Desi, played by Julia Stiles (10 things I hate about you). Martin Sheen (The West wing) plays the school’s coach who often shows more love to Odin than he does his own son, Hugo played Josh Hartnett. Hugo is then driven insane by such jealousy that he devises an evil plan to completely ruin Odin’s life and make him the school enemy.
I won’t tell you what he does, but I will say this, if Shakespeare saw this movie, he would be proud. If only the studio knew what they were depriving American audiences of back then. The entire movie is incredible, it’s grim and slow- paced storytelling make for some excellent drama. Josh Hartnett (40 days, 40 nights, Halloween:H20) does an excellent job as Hugo, the villain who pretends to be Odin’s friend and makes him think that Desi is having an affair with the schools most popular guy, Michael (played by Andrew Keegan) eventually driving Odin insane. Hugo always seems to be one step ahead of everyone in the entire cast. He is a genius in how he turns Odin, a naive young man without a jealous bone in his body to a drug using homicidal maniac.
He seems to manipulate everyone into doing his bidding and doesn’t seem merciless. Mekhei Pfeiffer is excellent as Odin who is Othello. He is incredible with transferring his emotions on screen as he is tortured with jealousy and rage by the devious Hugo. Julia Stiles plays the naive and trusting Desi who becomes an unwitting pawn in Hugo’s plan and pays for everything in the end. The entire movies narration by Josh Hartnett and pausing in its most dramatic moments gave me goose bumps as the entire movie is spewing drama. The director does an excellent job in giving us dramatic camera angles and symbolic gestures throughout the entire film that leave us on edge waiting to see what will happen next.
The movie is like a dream sequence that takes a turn for the worse in the end. Bravo. The problem with the movie is that everything starts off way to quickly. We never really get to learn a lot about the cast members or what makes them tick. We never truly get a real feel on Odin and Desi’s relationship and Hugo immediately begins his devious plan at the first fifteen minutes of the film. Some people might find this a little hard to watch because the movie spares no feelings in showing up front sexual situations and brutal killings. All in all this is one of the best films to come around in years and this is highly suggested for any Shakespeare buff. A chilling and haunting re-telling of the classic “Othello” with an excellent performance by Mekhi Pfeiffer.