Garish eye-candy, revamps classic love story with style

Rating: 10/10 (24 December 1999)

Shakespeare was first and foremost, an entertainer. His job was to hold the interest and attention of the violent, uneducated rabble his all-male cast performed to, and if that meant introducing copious amounts of under-age sex, blood and vengeance, well then, so be it. Sword-fights, murder, betrayal, romance, black magic, secrecy, incest and insanity all frequently featured in his productions, some of which were performed right in front of our very own Virgin Queen Elizabeth I. They were there to grab the spectators attention, and then intoxicate them into the story, dialogue, characters and their lives to create a fantasy atmosphere that would prove to be so gripping, that they could not possibly wish to escape back to ye olde tavern for a pint of warm ale. And so today, Australian director Bazmark Luhrmann, most revered for his humorous and innovative spoof on Ozzie dancers in the independent film 혩Strictly Ballroom' - and most hated for his annoying record, 혩Sunscreen', has taken Shakespeare's sixteenth century storyline and spiked its coke with acid, to inject a clearer message to our Tarantino-worshipping Generation X - whoever they are. This is Shakespeare for the masses.
The setting of the film, Verona Beach is presented as a big, dusty, putrid city, filled with big dreams and small salaries. An amazing kitsch, Catholic statue of the Virgin Mary towers above the city alongside the Diet Coke ads, supported by a crude barrage of scaffolding. The ocean breeze whips the sand up to create an outstanding host of gritty effects during some of the latter fight scene, and with its soundtrack containing the Butthole Surfers and Everclear, one cannot escape this imaginary world of garish colours, excessive noise pollution and fairgrounds on the beach. It's like West Side Story for the common people - which is probably why I like it. Just joking.
The blur of brash and exciting colour fuels the film, dizzying the audience, enveloping us in its passion, displayed through the star performances of all the members of the cast, as each actor lives their part with true and devout conviction and dedication. The script has been cut drastically, but because of Luhrmann's clever use of imagery, symbolism and innovative direction, the core of the story is never lost or even left to incorrect interpretation. The transformation of the play, from a cliched stage of cod-pieces and tin-foil swords, into a powerful piece of cinema pushes both boundaries and emotions. Mercutio appears as a drug-pushing, African-American drag-queen, with more than a slight crush on Romeo yet despite the stilettos and faux-fur pink bra, still delivers a hugely accurate and captivating portrayal of the hero's best friend. The famous siloquoy where Mercutio describes the dangerous powers of love is intimately linked with the ingestion of some white dove e, and amazingly the two merge seamlessly. The masked ball is announced by the devilishly wicked Lady Capulet via cable television, and the extravagant event itself is a brash and dazzling trip. The two fathers are presented as archetypal Sicilian dons, with a tattooed Tybalt literally stealing every single scene he appears in. There is also a helicopter chase, plenty of shoot-outs, a stall called 혩The Merchant of Venice', a mailing service known as Post. Post Haste', and Romeo's chill-out spot for introspection and smoking, the Sycamore Grove, turns out to be a derelict playhouse. This film is truly imagination working at its finest. The traditional balcony scene is transported beautifully to the Capulet's swimming pool, where Romeo, hiding in the shadows, surprises his crush, and together they hurtle into the water. This scene is fresh and witty, a continuous kiss-or-not-to-kiss. Claire Danes gives a passionate and sweet performance as Juliet, spicing up our heroine with a slice of 90s girl power, while DiCaprio is a strong and determined leading male, romantic with an element of vulnerability and adolescent awkwardness. Both are correctly portrayed as young innocents without voices, only finding themselves in eachother. Infact, Luhrmann fully exploits the sensuality and dramatic effect of water throughout the film. We first met our heroine staring face down in a basin of water, gazing languidly into the camera, stoned and angelic, her incredibly long red hair floating around and framing her pale and placcid face. Romeo is seen plunging his head into a sink of H2O following his dose of drugs, emerging with dripping wet hair, presently spying Juliet through the home of some tropical fish. The best scene provides the forum for Tybalt's murder, shot in a thunder storm, infront of the great Virgin Mary statue, where our victim hurtles back into the fountain, saturated in a heady mixture of water and his own blood. Symbolism litters this film like gold-dust at the bottom of a rainbow. Waking up beside Juliet following their illicit wedding night, scars coating his body, Romeo kisses Juliet and then prepares to leave. As she begs him to stay he grabs the bedsheets which billow over them, creating a protective white tent, before finally whipping the sheets up around them, sheltering them from the harsh daylight and the reality it inevitably brings. In fancy-dress, Romeo appears as a knight in shining armour, Tybalt as Satan, the Capulets as decadent classical characters, and Juliet as a vision-like angel. Needless to say this film is breathtaking to watch, providing a full two hours of unstoppable eye-candy. It has a fail-safe script, obviously, and an amazing soundtrack. Everyone can act in it, which is pretty rare these days, and everything fits together like lycra on an aerobics queen. A resounding full marks for the revamped Romeo and Juliet. Better than the simpering 혩Shakespeare in Love' anyday.