Yuck- Shakespeare Would Not Be Pleased

Rating: 2/10 (22 May 2014)

We're watching this movie in my English class, and to put it lightly, it's pretty horrendous. The idea itself of adapting one of Shakespeare's works is astounding and takes great talent and care, but if done poorly, the results end just like the play- tragic.
My first issue is the fact that the characters are speaking in Elizabethan English, which completely boggles my mind. Not only does it make the whole thing utterly confusing and unrealistic, it also heavily damages the point of modernizing the play at all. Another thing that bothered me about the play was how Luhrmann seemed so eager to cleverly adapt the play that he pretty much tried to throw in every "modern" thing he could think of- fast cars, gunfights, drugs, cigarettes, alcohol, obnoxious parties, loud punk music and street violence; all taking place in a rundown, scummy tourist attraction by the beach. He pretty much included everything but the kitchen sink, which not only makes the movie cliché, but it also ruins any chance of the movie to be seen as "edgy" instead of ridiculous.
Asides from that, there's not much else, besides actors who either don't fit their part or can barely speak their lines. Often both. DiCaprio might be in this movie, but that doesn't make it any better, especially with his co-star, whose acting was about was vibrant as a dishcloth. Way too many transition effects in the movie, which make it extremely hard to watch the screen without getting a migraine. The only thing I enjoyed was the beautiful backdrops of the Capulet home, especially by the poolside. I also enjoyed Mercutio and his antics, and that was pretty much the only thing I found entertaining.
Overall, watch the 1968 version instead and don't waste your time!