A word of warning

Rating: 9/10 (1 June 2001)

I would wholeheartedly recommend this film. However, I feel I must warn people to go to see it with the right expectations. If you have the right frame of mind it will make the difference between enjoying or loathing the movie. Do not go expecting a deep plot, original characters or important themes. Also, do not go expecting a movie aimed at teenagers even though it occasionally looks like a video clip. Go with the expectation that you will be seeing an amazing, dazzling, almost overwhelming theatrical musical. Expect to get major sensory overload in the first 20 minutes. Expect Luhrman's trademarks: extreme close-ups, over the top caricatures, simplistic messages and lavish set design. If you keep these things in mind, you'll find the whole film original, surprising and breathtaking in the most cliched way.