Review on Film Version Romeo and Juliet
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Romeo Montague: Leonardo DiCaprio
Juliet Capulet: Claire Danes
Tybalt: John Leguizamo
Mercutio: Harold Perrineau
The movie Romeo + Juliet is an adaptation of Shakespear's Romeo and Juliet in a modern version, which means the story will take place in the metropolitan that all people wear the clothes as casual as we do. The only difference is that the film still keeps Shakespear's language. The lines from Shakespear's play will be spoken in this film almost exactly the same with some cutting and rearrangement. It is also a dramatic love story that Romeo and Juliet love each other and get married behind the hate and opposition of two families, which are Montague and Capulet. Following what the play goes, the main plots of the movie are the same with the plots in Shakespear's play; the turning point is that Tybalt killed Mercutio and Romeo was banished because of killing Tybalt; the climax is that Juliet drinks the potion to play dead, and Romeo believe the death is real and drink a real poison. In the end, Romeo and Juliet both died for the love.
The story of the movie happens in the modern world, so a policeman called Prince take the place of a real Prince in Shakespeare's play, and the tools they fight are the guns instead of the swords. Montagues are all wearing beachy clothes which are really colorful, and Capulets are all wearing the formal black suits. In addition, we can see the car driving in the city, and helicopter flying around to searching people. These are the common changes in the movie to cater to the modern setting. However, there are more important changes to show the theme and the specialty of this movie.
At the beginning of the movie, there is a TV reporter reporting the tragedy between Montague and Capulet, which is the death of Romeo and Juliet. The reporter said the words that the chorus says in Shakespeare's play. Next, there are many clips of the movie flashing in a short time which is foreshadowing the story to give audiences an impressive view of the play. In the end of the story, the last picture is that the same TV closes. It is creative and smart to change the old-fashion chorus to a new reporting form. On the other hand, the same TV connects the beginning and the end of the movie. This creative change applies every plot or picture of the story as a whole so it can be easily understandable and convincing.
Secondly, many lines of Nurse and Lawrence and Paris are cut off. For example, there is Lawrence's explanation when Prince asks him to tell the truth of the death of Romeo and Juliet, but there is no any business of Lawrence in the movie version. When Paris knows Juliet's death, he comes to Juliet's tomb, but in the movie, Paris did not show up since he meets Juliet in the church. Actually, the death scene of Romeo and Juliet in the movie is quite quiet and painful. No one shows up to interrupt their conversation, and no one goes to find them in the movie. In addition, the movie also changes the plot a little bit to let Juliet wake a few seconds earlier. Then, under Juliet's eyes, Romeo dies. In the play, Romeo dies first, and when Juliet wakes up, she finds Romeo's cold body lying beside her. Comparing two different version, the movie version is combined more emotion for the characters than the emotions in the old play. The emotions could contain surprising, regrets, pities, love and so on, and because of the unclear death, Montague and Capulet did not make peace with each other in the movie. It demonstrates a reality that sometimes no one will treasure your death so the death is kind of invaluable. It is also an awareness for the people that please do not give up lives so easily because I think it is the most successful change for the movie version.
In the end, there are also many symbols to show the character's characteristics. For example, water can represent Romeo and Juliet's innocent so the water appears several times in the movie. Juliet's first shot is her face in the water. She is taking a shower. Comparing other Capulet's exaggerated makeup, especially Juliet's mother, Juliet is more natural and innocent. The second scene of water leads Romeo and Juliet to know each other. In the party, Romeo sees Juliet with a fish tank between them. The water in the fish tank is shining and flowing, and it makes the scene really romantic. Then, the biggest scene that related to water is Romeo and Juliet kisses under the water. It is the first meet after the party. Romeo cannot forget Juliet so he comes back to Capulet's house to find Juliet after the party at that night. Therefore, they meet near the pool, and they talk about their love and drop into the swimming pool by accident, and they kiss. It is also romantic, but besides that, the water emphasizes the pure love. There are no other things in the camera at this scene except Romeo, Juliet and water so the water point out that Romeo and Juliet's love is pure, innocent and without any other purpose.
In the movie, I love DiCaprio's acting. I have to say that his first shot is really charming and impressive. His first scene is the sunset set his figure off to a melancholy gentleman, which is the figure that all girls would love. In the beginning of the movie, DiCaprio did not show his emotion really much because he is suffering the old love. Everything is redundant and boring for Romeo at that time, and DiCaprio acted really well. After meeting Juliet, Romeo sets the fire again in his heart. The distinction DiCaprio act significantly by showing different facial expresssion and different tone of speaking.
Secondly, many lines of Nurse and Lawrence and Paris are cut off. For example, there is Lawrence's explanation when Prince asks him to tell the truth of the death of Romeo and Juliet, but there is no any business of Lawrence in the movie version. When Paris knows Juliet's death, he comes to Juliet's tomb, but in the movie, Paris did not show up since he meets Juliet in the church. Actually, the death scene of Romeo and Juliet in the movie is quite quiet and painful. No one shows up to interrupt their conversation, and no one goes to find them in the movie. In addition, the movie also changes the plot a little bit to let Juliet wake a few seconds earlier. Then, under Juliet's eyes, Romeo dies. In the play, Romeo dies first, and when Juliet wakes up, she finds Romeo's cold body lying beside her. Comparing two different version, the movie version is combined more emotion for the characters than the emotions in the old play. The emotions could contain surprising, regrets, pities, love and so on, and because of the unclear death, Montague and Capulet did not make peace with each other in the movie. It demonstrates a reality that sometimes no one will treasure your death so the death is kind of invaluable. It is also an awareness for the people that please do not give up lives so easily because I think it is the most successful change for the movie version.
In the end, there are also many symbols to show the character's characteristics. For example, water can represent Romeo and Juliet's innocent so the water appears several times in the movie. Juliet's first shot is her face in the water. She is taking a shower. Comparing other Capulet's exaggerated makeup, especially Juliet's mother, Juliet is more natural and innocent. The second scene of water leads Romeo and Juliet to know each other. In the party, Romeo sees Juliet with a fish tank between them. The water in the fish tank is shining and flowing, and it makes the scene really romantic. Then, the biggest scene that related to water is Romeo and Juliet kisses under the water. It is the first meet after the party. Romeo cannot forget Juliet so he comes back to Capulet's house to find Juliet after the party at that night. Therefore, they meet near the pool, and they talk about their love and drop into the swimming pool by accident, and they kiss. It is also romantic, but besides that, the water emphasizes the pure love. There are no other things in the camera at this scene except Romeo, Juliet and water so the water point out that Romeo and Juliet's love is pure, innocent and without any other purpose.
In the movie, I love DiCaprio's acting. I have to say that his first shot is really charming and impressive. His first scene is the sunset set his figure off to a melancholy gentleman, which is the figure that all girls would love. In the beginning of the movie, DiCaprio did not show his emotion really much because he is suffering the old love. Everything is redundant and boring for Romeo at that time, and DiCaprio acted really well. After meeting Juliet, Romeo sets the fire again in his heart. The distinction DiCaprio act significantly by showing different facial expresssion and different tone of speaking.
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