Neither doth he know Shakespeare as wouldst a scholar. But Cranky doth know when to scrape the dirt off his shoe. On that level, it is a sumptuous feast for the eye. Helicopter blades shred the skies overhead. Rap music blares out of the low riders of the Montague and Capulet gang cars.
People fall into pools, many times.
Gas stations explode, and statues of Jesus look down blissfully on it all. They face each other across a crowded boulevard, aptly symbolizing the competition between the two families. In this making, the Capulets are Latino and the Montagues are White. Big subtitles set the scene and identify the players. Romeo's pal Mercutio is a black drag queen.