Rating: 
Summary: Thrill Ride - Shakespeare at it's best
Review: Audacious, sexy, thrilling and beautiful, this film takes Shakespeare's classic and spills it into the wonderfully ribald world of Verona Beach, Miami. The Montagues and the Capulets are at war, and Romeo and Juliet are caught in the crossfire. They love each other, but can't be together because of the circumstances. It's tragedy at it's best, and this film does nothing to detract from that.Some may scoff at the fast pace, but no one can deny the affecting performances given by Leonardo DiCaprio (incredible as Romeo- he gives the role dark emotional weight, while keeping the inner core of boyishness, humour and sexiness), Claire Danes, who is meltingly lovely as Juliet- and witty as well, which is refreshing. Pete Postelwaite is dryly fantastic as the Priest and Harold Perrineau gives the role of Mercutio all he has and more. Verona Beach, with all it's souped up cars, guns and Hawaiian shirts, is a world that Shakespeare himself could never have envisioned, but I believe, wouldn't have him spinning in his grave. He lived to entertain -- Mercutio as a cross-dresser and Romeo popping acid aren't as far from Shakespeare's vision as some might think. I reccommend this film to anyone who wants a thrill ride through love, death, tears, vengeance- and a foray into the tortured world of Romeo and Juliet's love, which touched everyone they knew, in one way or another.
Rating: 
Summary: Torture
Review: Watching this film was not what I expected. It was, at best, semi-interesting. The dialogue was the most mutilated version of Shakespeare that I have ever heard. Yes, yes, I know: it had to be adapted to be more modern, but that's no excuse for Dicaprio's sorry screaming and Danes's slow reguritations of barely disernable lines. Danes seemed tormented in this film. Kind of like the audience.
Rating: 
Summary: The Most Inept Translation of Shakespeare Ever
Review: This rendition of Romeo and Juliet begins with a fight at a gas station. The house warriors have been made into punks with trench coats and magnums. Each one of these running and jumping characters is freeze framed and kindly introduced to us with big white letters. Naturally, the gas station explodes. Even the combat scenes in this movie are boring and I would favor the sword fighting in Zeffirelli's classic any day. The cinematography is overstylized and self absorbed. Much of the film is shot in dead sepia tones; watching it is like drowning in stale beer. There are also many garish light effects and glib camera tricks that make it look like a trashy music video. Bring out the disco ball! The acting is unforgivable. Leonardo DiCaprio speaks Shakesperian blandly, as though he were ordering pizza. When his performance isn't lacking in passion, he overdramatizes. When he shoots Tybalt, he screams for about a minute. When he comes to the line "I defy you stars" he screams for about a minute.
Clare Danes is like a sexy trick-or-treater in her little angel outfit as she, like DiCaprio fumbles through the script.
Perhaps most lamentably, clever Mercutio is somehow transformed into a mindless transvestite that shouts a lot. This most recent version of Romeo and Juliet falls only scarcely short of a deliberate attempt to defame a great work of literature. Unfortunately, it has been a popular movie because of Dane's and DiCaprio's teen icon status. This production of Romeo and Juliet has become a fetish of pop culture and it is as thoughtless as a Friday night drinking binge. The only worse film I can think of is Street Fighter the Movie. If you like Shakespeare on the screen, STAY AWAY. Watch Franco Zeffirelli's rich and beautiful masterpiece instead.
Rating:
Summary: I Love Thee!
Review: William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet is one of my favorite movies of all time. This colorful, screaming version of Shakespeare's classic play will explode onto your screen! The art direction is excellent. This movie catches the eye with bright colors and appealing sets. The script is very well-adapted to modern times. Harold Pirreneau (Mercutio) and Pete Postlethwaite (Friar Laurence) are both magnificent in this film, which is probably due to their prior acting experiences with Shakespeare's work. The music is haunting and blends very well with the script. Above all, the cinematography is beautifully done, making the movie a masterpiece of film art. This wonderful movie will captivate you and stir your emotions. It really is a great film and should not be missed. Buy or rent it today!
Rating:
Summary: William Shakespheres Romeo and Juliet
Review: From start to finish this is a fast paced musically driven manic version of the greatest love story ever told. Set in modern day Verona beach in Miami it sizzles along with the sunshine and pulls the watcher into the inevitble ending. Director Bas LLurman jumps from one scene to another with no breathing space in between. The finale is done as the original idea was intended, so that Romeo dies in Juliets arms. If you don't buy this then you obviously do not no good movies.
Rating:
Summary: Wow!
Review: I am blown away by this movie. It is gorgeous and tragic and ultimatly beautiful. Claire and Leo are great as the movie two leads. This movie is so good, i went back and read the text, and i had and all new understanding of it, and i loved it even more. Dont listen to all the old people who think its too colorful, or fast. SEE THIS MOVIE PLEASE.
Rating:
Summary: Oh Romeo, Romeo, Wherefore Art Thou.... Oh Make Me Puke!
Review: I'm sorry people. This movie blows. It's awful. What were these people thinking?!. Why would they ruin a masterpiece like this story by filming this junk?. Claire Danes is the only saving grace of this boring, whorish film. If you want a good movie, rent the original. Pass this turkey.
Rating: 
Summary: Modern Day Re-Telling Sometimes Works, Sometimes Falls Short
Review: Baz Luhrmann's production of Shakespeare's classic work, "Romeo & Juliet" is set in modern-day gang warfare as opposed to interfamilial squabbles. There were some things about this that worked well for me, e.g., Jon Leguizamo's absolutely vicious Tybalt in cowboy boots. However, I found Leonardo diCaprio entirely insipid as Romeo. Claire Danes acquitted herself well as Juliet despite the poor pairing with diCaprio. I particularly enjoyed the masqued ball scene, taking place at a prom instead of a familial ball. For the most part, there is more to like in the Zeffirelli production with Len Whiting and Olivia Hussey ... but this version of the "star-crossed lovers" may bring the tale to younger audiences in a more effective fashion.
Rating:
Summary: Romeo + Juliet
Review: This is one of my absoulute favourite movies! Leonardo DiCaprio is also one of my favourite actors!!! This movie rocks, It has everything I like, love, drama, comedy, action, Leonardo DiCaprio! Everything! The soundtrack to this movie is also absoulutly astonishing! Romeo + Juliet is a must see in my opinion.
Rating:
Summary: A Parody of a Tragedy
Review: I enjoyed this movie when I first saw it in the theatres. I think that many of the reviewers are forgetting that in some instances the director is having a sense of humor in the film
as well. THIS IS A PARODY OF A TRAGEDY. Everyone knows what happens. The director is trying to give a new edge to this old classic. Maybe even to offend those die hard Shakespeare fans. However, I am not offended. I am able to see the humor. I believe that this film is brilliant for its time and what it has to live up to. If you didn't like it the first time, watch it again, then you may see what I mean.
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