Rating: 
Summary: ditch the hype and watch the movie
Review: Once you strip away the manic video montage of Verona Beach, Baz Luhrman's precocious musical tendancies, the over-wrought drama of the secondary characters, you are a left with perhaps the purest telling of this famous tragedy. The often bland Leonardo DiCaprio and the often brilliant Claire Dane meld perfectly in to their respective roles as Romeo and Juliet. All the innocence, the wonderment, the naivete, and the wreckless, unbridalled passion is captured equisitely in this movie. Forget the irreverence, forget the baudy, tacky colors, this is Romeo and Juliet as it was meant to be told.
Rating: 
Summary: Surprisingly captivating
Review: I strongly dislike Leonardo Dicaprio, but I was pleasantly surprised with this version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I admire the way it was interpreted and presented. What really got me to like this movie was the use of the original language. While it is hard to understand, especially when watching it in a high school class, it is like an opera or ballet- although you don't understand the words, the story draws you in. What makes this interpretation different from the 1960's version is that it appeals to the younger crowd. I know Shakespeare fans will cringe at this movie, but I thought that Baz Luhrmann did a good job. It's a tough story to recreate.
Rating: 
Summary: Mostly MTV trash.
Review: This modern MTV version of "Romeo + Juliet" is another piece of trash taken from classic literature. William Shakespeare's name shouldn't have even been put above the title. The direction by Baz Lurrmann is designed mostly for the MTV teen crowd, with fast cuts and constantly moving cameras. It gets horrible from the get-go. Go rent the 1968 "Romeo & Juliet" instead, by Franco Zeffereli.
Rating:
Summary: Romeo & Juliet
Review: Alright. This movie receives a lot of mixed reviews, I've noticed. Rightly so, I think it's rather controversial, really. Nonetheless, it's among my favorite films of all time. It reeks of the contemporary, and yet manages to mask it's scent with dazzling visuals and stunning performances. DiCaprio's performance as Romeo takes the cake, as far as I'm concerned. Danes is an effective Juliet, convincing even, but DiCaprio and Perrineau as Mercutio are by far the best performances in the film. Perrineau portrays Mercutio's manic personality to near perfection. And while DiCaprio is almost too pasionate in his own role, it fits under the circumstances. His melodrama and frenetic behavior are what would be expected when thinking of a boy as young as Romeo was, and as allegedly in love. My favorite scene in this film is shortly after our two central characters "meet." It takes place while they are frolicking around the Capulet's house, if you will, and are embracing and kissing in the elevator, dodging Juliet's mother and suitor, Paris. The chemistry is completely there, every moment of it is believable, and the euphoria that their characters are feeling, is reciprocal between them and the audience. Brilliance.
Rating:
Summary: Adriana's Review
Review: 'The greatest love story of all time' is what Baz Luhrmann's version of Romeo & Juliet has been named as. The story is set in Verona Beach, a city of money and greed. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the perfect Romeo; charming, seductive and persuasive. Juliet played by Claire Danes is sweet, innocent and curious. The pair of star crossed lovers meet by fate eye to eye and create a chemistry of desire. Shakespeare's tale of a love not meant to be is told with passion, energy and a world wide best selling soundtrack. The soundtrack features throughout the film to provoke different feeling emotions. Kissing You by Des'ree is the love theme song and is played in times when Romeo & Juliet are together to emphasise the love and mystery of seduction is portrayed. I believe Luhrmann chose this style of string harmony music to put you in their emotions and to be inspired to be in love. The hip up-beat music such as Pretty Piece Of Flesh by One Inch Punch creates a contrast to the slow romantic scenes which in turn relax and somewhat hypnotise you. The fast paced scenes emphasised with fast beat music speed up the heart rate. The Capulet party is one good example where the Montague boys dress up and gate crash the party. Mercutio a dread locked drag queen with a psychotic edge played by Harold Perrineau Jr. offers Romeo a 'love drug' which he accepts... This inspiring tale of two lovers forbidden love who give their lives up in hope to be together in peace without the pressure of the impossibility to be together is tragic and sad; "For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo..."
Rating:
Summary: A classic like the original in 1968
Review: I like this updated version. Guns replace swords. Cars replace horses. And they still manage to talk the same way they did back in the day. Like 'thy' and for art thou'.
Rating:
Summary: Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet.
Review: I'd like to start by saying what a great movie this is, right from the explosive first scene up to the last, it's just amazing. Baz Luhrmann is the best director that ever lived and this is easily the best and most original adaptation of a play that there ever was. This is a must buy.
Rating:
Summary: *blubber* *sniff*
Review: Beautiful. This film makes Shakespeare accessible to the younger generation and features really exciting actors like John Leguizamo as Tybalt. I love the way the roles have been interpreted, especially by the actors playing Mercutio and Tybalt. Claire Danes is a fantastic, likeable Juliet who gains sympathy very well, and the direction from Baz Luhrmann makes it, in my view, a wonderful interpretation.
Rating:
Summary: review from a hopeless romantic
Review: Romeo and Juliet continues to be my favorite of Shakespeare's dramatic works, and when I heard of this movie version I couldn't wait to see it. I find that some parts of this adaptation are flashy and somewhat melodramatic, but this, by contrast, lends more purity and emotion to Romeo and Juliet's love. The DVD is very well made.
Rating:
Summary: Lord, what fools these mortals be!
Review: I saw this movie when it first came out in the theatre, and I was so appalled with the film that I almost walked out. At the time, I believed that updating Shakespeare was not to be done. However, I have grown up since being a freshman in high school, gone through college, performed Shakespeare, studied many other texts, and almost have my bachelors in English with an emphasis on British Literature. I went back to this film, hoping somehow I could shed some light on why everyone thought this was an amazing film. From all the studying I have done, I have come to appreciate some of the artistic choices Luhrmann has made in the film. However, that does not forgive the horrendous acting of every single performer in the movie. They speed right through their lines as if they want to fight the fact that is is written mostly in verse, instead of using it to drive the lines. To truly see how Shakespeare is done, watch the Zeffirelli version. There lies true Shakespearean acting. My goal is to teach high school students this beautiful play (one of Shakespeare's best tragedies, along with Othello), and I promise this version will never be something they lay eyes on.
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