Luhrmann's back in shape!

Rating: 8/10 (22 July 2013)

Luhrmann has been one of my favourite directors solely relying on his mastery with "Moulin Rouge". I enjoyed "Romeo+Juliet" also, but nowhere near as much as MR, and then Australia was kind of a let down. His visual style, however, has always been consistently amazing and his films are a true feast for the eyes.
"The Great Gatsby" continues this trend, and possibly pushes it further. With Luhrmann's trademark great and innovative cinematography, editing, costume design and art direction, Gatsby is technically top-notch. The impressive line up for the soundtrack also adds layers and layers to the film, in a choice similar to "Moulin Rouge's" soundtrack back in 2001. While some have complained about the over-stimulus visually and the over-the-top costumes and parties depiction in the film, I felt as if it was quite appropriate. It truly showed the lavishness and shallowness of those events, costumes and places, while at the same time allowing for the audience to see the emptiness of Gatsby's life.
My only concern was the length of the film, but it is manageable. Almost as long as "Australia" was, it still managed to feel reasonably lengthy, instead of being a drag. Overall, "Gatsby" is a well-executed film with lavish sets, amazing costumes, beautiful soundtrack and all other technical aspects. Acting is rather good, too, with DiCaprio having a stand-out performance, while Mulligan and Maguire are rather sidelined in their conventional acting and do not quite push the envelope far enough. Nonetheless, it is a good film and I'd recommend watching it!