Hamlet (1990) - Zeffirelli's Mel Gibson Take: More Action Star Than Brooding Prince?

Okay, so I finally got around to watching Zeffirelli's Hamlet with Mel Gibson. As a director-focused viewer, I gotta say... Zeffirelli's touch is... well, interesting here. He usually handles Shakespeare with a certain romantic flair, but this felt almost… pared down in some ways? Maybe that's the point, trying to make it more accessible? My big theory, though, is that Zeffirelli was acutely aware he was casting MEL GIBSON. Like, Lethal Weapon Mel Gibson. And that influenced everything. The pacing feels faster than other Hamlet adaptations I've seen – less internal monologues, more sword fights, which isn't necessarily bad, but it shifts the focus. It feels like he wanted to capitalize on Gibson’s action star capability. Like, the scene where Hamlet confronts Ophelia in her closet - the raw emotion is there, but it's almost too raw, like he's about to start throwing furniture. The whole production felt like it had a 'Mad Max takes Denmark' vibe. I'm not saying Gibson is bad as Hamlet, he definitely brings a certain intensity, and the 'To be or not to be' felt surprisingly genuine. But I wonder how the film would’ve been different with a different leading man--and maybe a more subtle directorial approach. Does anyone else think that Zeffirelli essentially tailored his Hamlet to Gibson’s existing persona? I'm curious to hear what people think. Did Zeffirelli capture the 'tortured intellectual,' or did he just give us a 'tortured guy with a sword'?