Back in 1996, several critics reckoned this was really Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet, with Shakespeare buried beneath an avalanche of gaudy visual tricks, noisy action and pop songs. But the essence of the play does not just survive, it leaps off the screen in heightened colours. Claire Danes' intelligence and Leonardo Di Caprio's intensity (though not his verse speaking) make them the one of the most affecting Romeo and Juliets cinema has yet produced.
Special Edition. Widescreen. Audio commentary by director Baz Luhrmann, Craig Pearce, Catherine Martin and Donald McAlpine. Galleries, interviews, music videos, trailer.
What bollocks! A excellent attempt to make Shakespeare accessible to the MTV generation. Witty and stylish. This would be a great film were it not for the delivery of... more >
What bollocks! A excellent attempt to make Shakespeare accessible to the MTV generation. Witty and stylish. This would be a great film were it not for the delivery of the verse by Leo - he doesn't seem to have much of a clue about what he's saying. However, the intended audience for this film won't be too worried about that - it looks so good. (Hint - make sure you get the widescreen version - the pan and scan is dreadful) < less
Anon on
Despite the MTV style editing, this is a textually and thematically faithful version, with credibly gauche lovers, beautiful sets and settings, and a dynamic sense of ... more >
Despite the MTV style editing, this is a textually and thematically faithful version, with credibly gauche lovers, beautiful sets and settings, and a dynamic sense of events spiralling out of control. Guns replace swords, cars replace horses, and Verona is just a memory, but somehow it all works wonderfully. < less
An overrated and painfully bad movie. The opening looks like a trailer and the critics who praised this are hypocrites. Normally such stylings are dismissed as MTV inf... more >
An overrated and painfully bad movie. The opening looks like a trailer and the critics who praised this are hypocrites. Normally such stylings are dismissed as MTV influenced and new directors are discouraged from using such methods. To see how the nature of modern film can be used creatively then watch Bill Duke's 'Deep Cover'. This film is so bad it makes 'Natural Born Killers' look good. < less
