Hated it

Rating: 1/10 (12 December 2005)

This movie was quite possibly the worst movie I have ever seen in my entire life. I didn't like how it was only partially modernized, and the actors couldn't act for soup. Basically it reeked of stupidity.
With Shakespeare, you either have to modernize the whole thing, or not modernize it at all. The combination of a modern setting and the original text didn't work. It was awkward and hard to follow.
The actors didn't seem like the poetic sort. Half the time, Benvolio was shirtless and reciting poetry. None of them had any idea how to read Shakespeare. It was hard to appreciate the text when the actors were completely lacking in realistic feeling. I think that two directors made a bet to see who could make the worst movie with the most highly paid actors. Baz Luhrmann most definitely won.
The whole thing reeked of stupidity, to the point where it wasn't funny anymore. I was extremely annoyed with the subtitles explaining who the people were, as if we didn't already know. The frequent freezes on the "swords" and "daggers" were totally pointless and wasted time.
In conclusion, I think you would have been better off watching the Zefferelli version of Romeo and Juliet, which was classy and very accurate to the actual text. I would rather have my fingernails torn out with white hot nail clippers than be subjected again in my life to this horrible mess of badly modernized plot lines, butchered text, and shoddy actors. Out of 5 stars I give it a negative 7.
What were they smoking?