When hearing about “Hamlet 2,” many may firstly think that the poor great Shakespeare is ripping his hair off his head in his grave. Well, I wouldn’t go so far, at least until I found out more about the movie.

Firstly, because lead characters in the original “Hamlet” are all dead and it would be far-fetched to think that “Hamlet 2” is about their ghosts. Secondly, because the movie that is opening this weekend includes the making of a play, from which it borrows the title. Therefore, “Hamlet 2” is the result of some crazy mind, no need to take it too serious. On the contrary.

The movie focuses on Dana Marschz (good luck with trying to pronounce that), a failing actor who, due to a conspiracy of the universe, never got a real role in his life. Not that he has any talent. Marschz is actually a terrible actor, and British comic actor Steve Coogan makes a terrific job dedicating all his talent to depict his character’s lack of it. Marschz is failing both professionally and personally, with his wife (Catherine Keener) thinking his an impotent because he can’t get her pregnant.

Dana becomes a Tucson high school drama teacher who sets his mind in creating a drama to save the school’s theatre program. He comes up with this sequel of the Shakespearian masterpiece, adding a series of elements that have nothing to do with the original. In order to have any characters of all, Dana concocts a time machine to revive them. Moreover, as that wasn’t enough, he also brings Jesus in the play. And the soundtrack of the play rests on the Gay Men’s Chorus. And when Hamlet (Joseph Julian Soria) implores Jesus (Coogan) in a song to “Rock Me, Sexy Jesus,” well, that’s the peak of it.

It’s hard to determine who is the greatest enemy of Dana’s play: the school’s civic leaders or the 14-year old kid who constantly criticizes him (and he is right). Speaking of which, the school’s civic leaders ban the play due to its lack of any political correctness, but, more or less out of the blue appears ACLU lawyer Cricket Feldstein (an extremely funny Amy Poehler) to defend the play.

Nevertheless, the movie also benefits of the appearance of the Oscar-nominee for “Leaving Las Vegas” star, Elisabeth Shue, playing herself as an actress sick of Hollywood who has taken up nursing as a way of helping people. Dana meets his favorite actress when he enters hospital, having broken his f-you finger.

“Hamlet 2” is twisted and totally unpredictable. When hearing that the script was written by Andrew Fleming (“Dick”) and Pam Brady (“South Park”), one would set some expectations about the amusement of the gig. Well, as we’ve learnt in life, setting expectations isn’t usually the best thing to do. However, Coogan is a five-star comic actor and rest assured that your belly muscles will get some practice, at least from giggling.

Movie Type: Comedy
MPAA Rating: R for language including sexual references, brief nudity and some drug content.
Running Time: 1 hr. 34 min.
Directed By: Andrew Fleming
Cast: Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, David Arquette, Elisabeth Shue, Amy Poehler
Released: August 22nd, 2008 (wide)
U.S. Box Office: TBA