Prime Video‘s original movies haven’t often impressed, but the streamer’s latest release is an absolute gem. Since it first started producing original films and TV shows, Prime Video has amassed an extensive library of titles across all genres. The powerful music drama Sound of Metal (2019), the true history-based One Night in Miami… (2020), and the extravagant dark comedy Saltburn (2023) rank as some of Prime Video’s best-received movies, though most of its originals haven’t garnered much critical praise. In 2025, the platform has especially struggled, as notable pictures like Heads of State, War of the Worlds, and Play Dirty all failed to achieve critical acclaim. However, Prime Video’s new film is a massive triumph that everyone needs to watch.
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Written and directed by The Marvels filmmaker Nia DaCosta, Hedda imposes a brilliant modern spin on Henrik Ibsen’s classic play, Hedda Gabler (1891). The movie stars Tessa Thompson, known for playing Valkyrie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as the title character, a tortured and conniving aristocrat enamored with luxury and little else. Over the course of a lavish evening party at her and her husband George Tesman’s (Tom Bateman) estate, Hedda reconnects with her ex-partner Eileen Lovborg (Nina Hoss), triggering a series of chaotic and fateful events. Hedda has received praise from critics, scoring a 91% Rotten Tomatoes rating. In their second collaboration, the MCU director and star have made an outstanding thrill ride of a film, and it deserves more appreciation.
Hedda Is a Fantastic Modern Adaptation of a Classic Play
At its core, Hedda is a tragic story, but DaCosta’s adaptation radiates an irresistible energy from start to finish. Trading 1890s Norway for 1950s England, the movie is enlivened by gorgeous sets and costumes, as well as a dynamic score from Hildur Guðnadóttir. Thompson’s Hedda is a fascinating character whose affluent status and self-serving ways fuel some astonishing trickery during the party. Although morally corrupt, Hedda often comes across as sympathetic due to her isolation in her marriage and suffering under patriarchy. Orchestrating another’s downfall is Hedda’s special talent, and watching her incite chaos with such poise and charm is a ton of fun.
Hedda exhibits this captivating complexity in other characters, too. Eileen’s predicament revolves around her struggle to succeed as an academic writer in a male-centric field. Meanwhile, Eileen’s new lover, Thea Clifton (Imogen Poots), progressively appears more similar to Hedda than not, despite her hatred of her. From the ambitious yet unfortunate Tesman to the shrewd and spiteful Judge Roland Brack (Nicholas Pinnock), all of Hedda‘s characters are excellently fleshed out by DaCosta’s screenplay.
While staying true to its source material, Hedda changes several aspects of the original play, and is better for it. Race and sexuality live at the forefront of DaCosta’s interpretation, which examines how identity influences one’s movement in society. Gender-swapping the main character’s ex-lover only magnifies the tension between the two as Hedda and Eileen confront their failed relationship against the backdrop of strict heteronormativity. Hedda‘s layered story and characters are endlessly intriguing, and the film’s ambiguous conclusion leaves audiences with even more to ponder after the credits roll.
Nia DaCosta and Tessa Thompson Are Once Again a Brilliant Duo
After first collaborating on the director’s feature-length debut, Little Woods (2018), DaCosta and Thompson have cemented themselves as a top-notch duo. Hedda, DaCosta’s fourth film, represents her best work yet and heightens her status as a rising star ahead of her next movie, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Few filmmakers today can successfully adapt a classic literary work for a modern audience; thus, Hedda further proves DaCosta’s talent as a writer and director.
The role of Hedda Gabler feels like it was made for Thompson, who gives an exquisite lead performance in the film. Deftly melding Hedda’s abject boredom with her Machiavellian mind, Thompson is magnetic in every scene. Following her superb performance in Little Woods and a brief cameo in The Marvels, Thompson’s newest team-up with DaCosta was primed to be a hit. Hedda emphatically exceeds expectations, bringing an unforgettable drama to life.
Hedda is now streaming on Prime Video.
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