Baz Luhrmann's 1996 Romeo + Juliet film unforgettable

Posted January 2021

By Andrew Gonzalez

Cub Reporter

By now, billions of people have read the works of William Shakespeare or have seen his plays in live action iterations, either on stage or in the movies. Most of the movies that portray Shakespeare’s works are set in the time that they were written, but there’s one that happens to be set in more modern times. Romeo + Juliet (1996) is a brilliant modern take on the classic play about two star-crossed lovers whose families are in the midst of a rivalry.

This movie of the tragedy has many comedic moments throughout, and it doesn't fail to make the viewer smile. Director Baz Luhrmann's quick zooms are unexpectedly one of the many comedic gags that appear frequently. It's a gag has been used in hundreds of movies and TV shows, two being The Office and Parks and Recreation. If you know anything about Romeo and Juliet, you know that the two main families, the Montagues and the Capulets, brawl many times in the play and use rapiers as their main weapon. Because the movie is set in 1996, you may wonder how a rapier would fit in. Instead of using the French longsword, each of the characters has his own unique pistol embroidered with words like, “Sword 9mm”, “Dagger 9mm”, and “Rapier 9mm.”

The duel between Mercutio and Tybalt is one of the best scenes in the play and the movie. Not only does it provide an action filled sequence between the hated rivals, but it also creates suspense between Romeo and Tybalt, because Mercutio is Romeo’s best friend and the fight makes Romeo feel as if he needs to intervene. Another amazing scene is in the opening scene where three members of the Capulet family and three members of the Montague family start arguing, which eventually escalates into something bigger, and they both have to pay the consequences.

Romeo + Juliet is incredible in all aspects—the camera play, the fighting scenes, and the comedy. It’s an incredible representation of what Shakespeare intended to do, put comedy, tragedy, and romance all in one play.