The Great Gatsby, magic on its own

Rating: 8/10 (28 May 2013)

"It was good, but not as good as the book," most would say after watching an adaptation film. In fact, even positive reviews somehow tie the film with its original content, which detracts from the movie experience. I say Ignore the classic Fitzgerald novel (for two hours at least), and let Baz Luhrmann take us into the magical world of The Great Gatsby.
From the gorgeous visuals to interesting choice of soundtrack, Luhrmann presents a refreshingly new environment. We see the glamorous parties, interesting people, and a roaring 1920s New York City accompanied by modern hip-hop music. This unique clash of elements blends surprisingly well because it is fresh, pioneering, and intimidating at the same time. These genuine feelings allow the audience to see through the lenses of Nick Carraway – innocence for the story.
"I had to block out all the noise about expectations, or 'Oh, he's doing it in 3DOh, hip-hop, it's all going to be flash and dazzle'," said Luhrmann in an interview with Jake Hamilton. "Listen, the film Gatsby is flash and dazzle.
At the end, the film still comes down to the actors and the story of their characters.
Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby was nothing short of brilliant. Aside from the natural confidence and enigmatic charisma DiCaprio has, his portrayal of the iconic figure was genuine and down to earth. He somehow managed to blend contradicting emotions into one package and instill it not only onto Gatsby himself, but also the man's dreams and aspirations. "When you make a film version of a great novel like this, you as an actor – as a detective – you get more insight onto the character's thought process," said DiCaprio in the same interview with Hamilton.
DiCaprio will probably get another Academy Awards nomination for playing this great figure, but will he finally get the nod? We'll see.
Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway was also very believable. Maguire's vivid narrative helped the audience maintain curiosity and the right amount of distance with the film and the characters in it. I would have loved to see Carrie Mulligan and Joel Edgerton as Daisy and Tom Buchannan a bit more. The relationship between these characters is a lot more complex than what was allowed on screen.
The overall pace of the movie felt a bit rushed, especially prior to Gatsby's entrance. There were a lot of scenes that would have been more suspenseful if they had more time to develop. With that being said, it is a difficult task to present all the intangibles of this particular story without losing a main focus and even worse, losing the audience.
Even with my premise, this production will always be compared with the classic novel. But why? Why deprive yourself of a chance to get completely lost in a cinematic ride. Whether or not the movie does the book justice is irrelevant. The acting was superb, the story was intriguing, and the visuals were breathtaking. Beyond the flash and dazzles, there is a beautiful story waiting to breathe on its own.
8/10.