The nouveau magic of Shakespeare

Rating: Null/10 (8 October 1998)

This film version of Romeo Juliet is the most visually stimulating of any I've seen. Playing with MTV-askew-style camera angles and filling the screen with a bright palette of neon color, this movie is a great one just to look at.
The film starts off at a very jerky, off-beat pace which is disconcerting for anyone expecting a long and drawn out Shakespearean soliloquy as with on-stage drama. The opening sequence is rough around the edges and grabs the attention. As the plot progresses, the magic of Shakespeare's timeless words seeps through and anyone, whether avid Shakespeare fiend or one who never touched Hamlet, can enjoy it.
Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio lend their youth and acting experience to bring out the roles of Romeo and Juliet in a way that is more real to the current generation of youth than any Romeo and Juliet duo preceding it.
This film deserves a great rating. It's near perfect Shakespeare while still being contemporary and cutting edge. Baz Luhrman should be proud of his accomplishment. He's brought Shakespeare into the nineties century with grace and flair!