There are a million and one Hamlet's so I will keep this brief as to what are the merits in this one:
--Glenn Close is perhaps the best Gertrude I have ever seen. Torn between love for her soon and need for security with Claudius
--This version really plays up the sexual undertones between Hamlet and his mother in a way that others dare not
--Due to Hollywood-style production and A-list cast it is one of the more accessible versions of Hamlet and in terms of thoroughness ad faithfulness a fairly good place to start perhaps.