In my opinion, there were several key strengths as well as weaknesses in the movie. The main strength in my opinion was how Baz Luhrmann stuck to the original script. I also found the comical relief in the movie quite appealing. A main strength was the camera work. The pool scene was out of this world! Also, the way the camera crew had beautiful background scenes, like the sun setting in the beach scene. Another bonus of the movie was the way that it presented a difficult subject matter so easily. The weaknesses that I found in the play were greater than the strengths however. The play tended to be confusing at points. This may have happened due to the fact that main characters were cut out of the play, or other interesting scenes were cut from it in the end. Also, other personal relationships were not explored such as the relationships between: Mercutio and Romeo, Friar Lawrence and the Nurse, and Capulet and Montague. It seemed as though Baz Luhrmann was too busy concentrating on the love aspect in the story, between Romeo and Juliet. The movie had too much gunplay also. Yes, it was cute to have the guns named things like, “sword” and “dagger”, but the movie became too much like a mob movie when every other scene someone has a gun out ready to kills someone. The final weakness that I found in the movie was the ridiculous way that the director Baz Luhrmann made the characters come across. The characters were giving silly mannerisms, and the costumes that they wore were out of control! Friar Lawrence was in a Hawaiian shirt with tattoos.
Overall, this movie was enjoyable. As far as it being comparable to the works of the great William Shakespeare, I would not give it that much credit. I do own the movie Romeo and Juliet, and watch it from time to time, but I feel it is better to read the play, and use your own imagination to form your own opinions on what characters look like, how they sound, what they wear, and how they carry themselves. I think that this is just a totally different way of looking at a masterpiece.
Works Cited
William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Writ. Baz Luhrmann. Twentieth Century Fox, 1996.
“A Curtain Up London Review Romeo and Juliet.” The Internet Theater Magazine of Reviews. Home Page. 5 March 2001.
“Ebert and Roeper and the Movies.” BV Entertainment. Home Page. 2 November 1996.
“Romeo and Juliet.” Film.com. Homepage. 1996. http://www.film.com/film-review/1996/9348/27/default-review.html >
“The Power and Passion of Love and Hate A review of Romeo and Juliet.” A Story is a Promise. Homepage. 2000. http://www.storyispromise.com/rjoutlin.htm
“The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.” Renascene Editions. Homepage. 1999. http://www.darwing.uoregon.edu/-rbear/shake/rj.html
William Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet. London, Grolier Society; n.d.
Lipshitz, Laura. Interview with Carson Daly. Total Request Live. MTV. New York. 3 March 1996.
Quivers, Robin. Interview with Howard Stern. Howard Stern Radio Show. New York. 2 April 1996.