Lively, visually-striking big screen adaptation of the Bard‘s tale of tragic romance. Australian director Baz Luhrmann injects enough verve and colour to win over even the most switched-off GCSE student Baz Luhrmann transfers Verona to Verona Beach in this iconoclastic, sexy rendering of the bard‘s classic tale of love and tragedy.

Here the Montagues and Capulets act like modern gangs with vendettas and blood feuds, the swords have become guns but the language remains the same and the tragedy of the star-crossed lovers Juliet (Danes) and Romeo (DiCaprio) remains as poignant as ever.

Fast-paced and dynamic direction combined with ornate set design make this a stylish and stylised reworking of a timeless story rendered palatable for a broad audience. The result is a sexy, innovative and memorable sumptuous feast for eye and ear. Verdict
It might upset the purists, but those who like their Shakespeare bold and brave are bound to fall in love with Luhrmann‘s balsy treatment.