Review of Romeo + Juliet (1996) by Liamexe — 08 Jun 2023

Yes, I have to confess that this movie moves quite quickly and is visually appealing. As with Moulin Rouge, the soundtrack and cinematography work together to create a fantastic visual experiment. The movie's concept, though, strikes me as odd and a little absurd.

There are two options: either you completely adhere to Shakespeare's original plot, scenarios, etc. (which obviously wouldn't appeal to the audience it was intended to appeal to), or you perform a modern adaptation and place the story in a contemporary setting.

Reading baroque dialogues from the 16th century while shootings take place and fast automobiles are on the road just looks really weird and exciting. It simply seems like an odd combination of the unquestionable status of Shakespeare with the undeniable allure of action films that doesn't actually work that well.