Claudius is presented as a multi-faced character. He desired the crown of king Denmark, and killed his brother King Hamlet to acquire it. Claudius seem to have a large, booming voice in the film. Branagh uses costumes to suggest the 19th century. Claudius is dressed with a nicely contemporary look. When we first see Claudius, he strikes us an intelligent and capable ruler. He gives a speech to make his court and country proud, addressing his brother's death. Claudius knows that a change in government could ignite civil unrest, and he is afraid of possible unlawful allegiances and rebellion. His speech compares the people's loss with the new beginning they will have under his care, and he uses the death of Hamlet's father to create a sense of national solidarity. In the beginning he does present the impression of being a good king. King Claudius, as seen in the film Hamlet, is both intelligent and well-spoken, two traits that, put together, complement his manipulative and dangerous nature. In fact though, it is his conscience that makes Claudius such a complex villain. Despite his rise to power seeming to have been carefully planned and executed, he nevertheless encountered certain things that he did not expect, such as the appearance of the ghost of his victim that ignited Hamlet 's thirst for revenge. .
In the scene where Claudius is praying in some place dark Hamlet slowly inserts a blade aimed at the head of Claudius who is alone at prayer. On the surface, it appears to be the perfect time to act out the revenge. As Hamlet debates the merits of killing the repentant Claudius, the blade inches closer to the head of Claudius who is oblivious to the threat that is just a hair's-breadth away. Hamlet decides that killing Claudius would be an unsatisfactory form of revenge since Claudius's soul would go to heaven since he is at prayer, and the blade is then slowly withdrawn. The knife being inserted through the screen adds power and dramatic tension, making an already thrilling scene burn white-hot with emotion.