A stunning look at a classic story

Rating: 8/10 (18 March 2002)

Film makers adapting Shakespeare for the screen usually run into two initial problems. Do they stay close to the original, more or less putting a play on film? Or do they update either dialogue or setting, or both? Baz Luhrmann has chosen the latter course, updating the setting while leaving the dialogue pretty much faithful to the original. The look of the picture is stunning. Modern day Verona seems both familiar and yet somehow strange. Ornate weapons and customized cars give it an otherworldly feel, while sweeping visuals and fast cut editing combine with a strong soundtrack that at times breaks into the action on screen, Mercutio's performance at the Capulet party is a prime example of this. The use of the original dialogue could have been more problematic, particularly when combined with a modern setting. Many people find it an effort to follow this type of language but they should make that effort, it can be very worthwhile. Just picking up the rhythm of the words can make you realize why Shakespeare's work has lasted so long. It is not just the stories, but also the way they are told. These two elements, sublime language plus a stunning visual design are well served by an excellent cast. Claire Danes is very good as Juliet, a little shrill at times, but she is playing a fourteen year old. As Romeo Leonardo DiCaprio is also good, but it is the strong performances of the cast as a whole that help make the picture what it is. Inventive, innovative and exciting