Surprisingly good.

Rating: 8/10 (30 December 2001)

The fact that I loved Moulin Rouge convinced me to see Romeo + Juliet, Baz Luhrmann's previous movie but I was a bit worried. First of all, Romeo and Juliet has never been my favorite Shakespeare tragedy. And the fact that Leonardo DiCaprio had the role of Romeo did not convince me either. He is not a terrible actor, but he is certainly not a great one. Well, luckily Luhrmann's name convinced me to see this very good version of the classic play. His directing is impressive. The actors also do a great job. Danes and Dicaprio are a great couple, and John Leguizamo is perfect as Tybalt. His performance convinced me, along with his role in the incredible Summer of Sam, that Leguizamo is an excellent actor, someone with the potential to be remembered as one of the great actors of his generation. The rest of the cast is also very good. Sure, there might be a bit too much screaming from time to time but the energy with which Luhrmann films everything makes it seem normal. As for the story, it is told with enough passion to make me forget about everything I dont like about it. All in all, this movie is worth your time, although if you are in the mood for Shakespeare at his best, watch Kenneth Branagh's 1996 version of Hamlet. But if you dont have time for this wonderful 4 hour epic, Romeo + Juliet is a dynamic version of a classic story.
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