Nice try

Rating: 6/10 (2 August 2006)

It's a nice idea: putting the original text of Romeo and Juliet into a modern, urbanised, setting. It will appeal to a much younger audience (making it instantly suitable for classroom use) and it will show the world that what Shakespeare wrote is still applicable to modern day. Unfortunately, it did not work out the way it should have. One of the fatal flaws was that the text was not followed as closely as I would have liked it. In fact, things were added that were hideously out of place and two important parts that should have been included have been omitted. However, it is virtually impossible to create an exciting film without playing with the text a little, so the writers have been forgiven as far as I'm concerned.
The one thing that I really cannot let pass is the combination the setting makes with the text. Keeping the original text with a modern setting has been done successfully in the past. The director here chose to make the setting and its characters over the top. The way the young Montagues and the young Capulets are portrayed may be clear, but it is also annoying to see that the Montagues are shown as surfer/stoners and the Capulets as Latino gangsters. This, combined with the setting, decors and acting makes for a film that is extremely over the top. This simply does not work with a text that is subtle, where most of the humour and entertainment is to be had from small quips and remarks, not from broad-sweeping statements and grandeur. Especially the love between Romeo and Juliet should be quiet, not playful as it is in this film.
Of course there are some good things about this film. In keeping with Shakespeare's love of subtle word jokes, this film has quite a few. There are several 'hidden' hints to other Shakespearean plays. Also, I liked the newscaster as opening chorus. This gave the film an air of modernity while still keeping the goal of the prologue, which is introducing the play. These things made for a two hours that were not completely awful.
I am somewhat of a purist when it comes to Shakespeare, although I do like it when people take freedoms with the text or the setting. However, Romeo + Juliet strayed too far from the nest.