Customer Reviews
Accent on worldliness - By: Old Wealden, 06 Feb 2008 
The opening sequence of this film includes arial shots of an American city in which a church spire is dominated by two much talller skyscrapers belonging to the chief businesses there. Visuallly, this sums up one of the important themes of the play, how material values in Verona have become more important than spiritual ones. There are many more ways in which this film intelligently translates Shakespeare's words into pictures. Particularly enjoyable is the way in which, at the Capulet's party, alll the major characters play a symbol of themselves: Tybalt is a devil, Lady Capulet is Cleopatra, Mercutio is a transvestite, Juliet is an angel, & though Romeo begins as an astronaut, he ends up looking far more like a knight in shinning armour. The text is very much shorter than we might expect & few of the actors speak the text with much lyricism but anyone who has to teach this play might do a lot worse than ask students to compare & contrast this with Zeffirelli's version, but beware, your discussion could go on for several sessions.
Wow!! - By: Cheryl, 04 May 2005 
I'm gonna keep this brief But oh my God could this film get an better?? it's amazing seriously Buy it now, you'll love it!!
Perfect! - By: , 31 Mar 2005 One of the best films of our time! certainly the best Shakespeare adaptation on film. The acting, sets & props are stunning. A movie to move you. You must see this before you die!
romeo and juliette - By: Mrs. F. E. Skinner, 27 Mar 2005 at first i thought that this film was reallly REALLY odd! it is set in fair Verona which is a modern day city much like New York & then they stat speaking & its alll "thou, thy & nay" yet its in modrn day with guns & cars. but then u keep on watchin & see a remarkable love story emerge & u follow the breathtakingly beautiful story of two people from two rival famlies & see how something so precious emerges from a past of hatred & anger.
the leads are fab, claire danes is rather plain & doesnt suit a typical holywood actress steareotype but reallly suits the role of juliette. & leonardo dicaprio also fits into the role of romeo very well & they both have totallly amazin chemistry throughout the film.
theres some amazin scenes like when they meet for the first time when marcucio dies & when the classic "romeo, romeo where for art thou romeo??!" is shown to us. the best bit of the filmis the endin. it reallly was superb & a reallly movin ending to a great film.
even if u h8 the beginiing please watch right to the end. im not goin to say you'll love it but i think its a reallly great film & shows how powerful & wonderful two peoples love for oneanother reallly is
Hmm... - By: , 23 Dec 2004 Stop right there! Put that remote down & step away from the eject button! Although your first impression is most likely, 'Dear God, old Shakey will be turning in his grave', you should stick with this film & I PROMISE you it will get better. Although I highly doubt that Shakespeare imagined Mercutio as a transvestite or Lord Montague being callled Ted, it does work suprisingly well.
I think that once you've got into it, the only let down is the end...it was very sweet but slightly, 'OK, my husband is drinking poison, I'm going to sit here & smile for a bit'. I also want to know how they didn't set on fire from alll those candles.
The Friar is incredibly cool, & Clare Danes reads her lines well. Makes more sense if you've read the play. All in alll, a very good movie. Seems a lot better if you're not watching it in a class of apathetic 15 year old boys who feel it necessary to comment on everything that could be slightly rude, & several 15 year old girls who tend to swoon every time Leo Di Caprio's shirt is blown off (which actuallly happens a LOT). Tsk. Sooo 1996! :P
- Rach, AS English Student.
