A spectacular rendition of Gatsby and his American Dream

Rating: 6/10 (7 May 2013)

I can't say that I'm particularly fond of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby", but I can say that I greatly respect the piece of literature for its portrayal of upper class warfare (or politics as some call it) and its finely detailed set pieces. The characters seem flat and function more as caricatures as opposed to unique souls. As such, it is difficult to relate to them and be drawn into their lives. Oddly enough, it is the dialogue, the interactions, between these stick figures that give the story its dimensions and depth. We are drawn to their drama and gossip, anxiously awaiting for their demise.
I'll be honest: I was irked and confused by the decision for "Gatsby" to be in 3D; but after watching it in 3D, I truly believe that there is no other way to watch this movie. The 3D effects aren't special, but the artistic choice for 3D parallels the book's tone. As the audience, we are reading/watching 2-dimensional characters fighting and dancing their way through a pop-up book, which is ironically as superficial as the characters themselves.
The various settings of the novel are beautifully rendered in the movie with lavish use of CGI, lushly colored costumes, and grandiose spectacles of money flexing.
Although the characters are despicably shallow and morally ambiguous, their portrayals were respectfully done. Tobey Maguire's accent is a bit distracting and inconsistent at times, but as the "want-to-be" outside observer, Nick Carraway, Maguire did a knock-up job with his aloof stares. Leo was pretty fitting as the titular character, Gatsby, especially with his gradual unraveling from firework-shining smiles to bittersweet desperation. Overall, Joel Edgerton stole the show. His presence commanded the audience's attention in every scene, regardless of his character's likability and immorality. Foiling Leo's deteriorating Gatsby, Edgerton's Buchanan adapts to every situation and demonstrates his strength lies not in his brawn or brains, but in his persistence to survive. And with little screen time, Edgerton is able to convey Buchanan's forte.
All in all, "Gatsby" is worth a watch, regardless if you liked, disliked, read, or analyzed the novel. The movie provides great conversation and is worthy of the 3D ticket price. I wish that more movie adaptations were as respectful to the original source material. By all means, "Gatsby" is not perfect, but even through all the glamour and shimmering glasses, it remains engaging and thought-provoking.