Colourful neo-modern adaptation

Rating: 8/10 (3 November 2001)

Much better than the standard retrofit of classic stories. Instead of following the Hollywood norm and creating a new story around Romeo and Juliet, Baz has taken the original and restaged it. The result is an edgy and sometimes powerful movie.
Whilst some references (such as weapons) were skilfully modernised, it was sometimes over the top and verged on cheesy. For example, the longsword was somewhat blatant.
My main criticism is that the movie still managed to feel slightly Hollywood sanitised. Gore and violence was deliberately toned down to nearly the level of James Bond movies. The inclusion of the graphic display of violence would have made the tragedy much more powerful.
8 out of 10.