Gnomeo and Juliet Review
Featuring James McAvoy and Emily Blunt as Gnomeo and Juliet, this 2011 family movie is a fun packed, light hearted take on Shakespeare's classic drama Romeo and Juliet.
Occur a suburban neighborhood, the story is set around feuding neighbors Mrs Montague and Mr Capulet who live on the aptly named Verona Street. They are the proud owners of their very own gnome families: the Red and the Blue respectively. Once the gardens are unattended, the gnomes become more active and live the feud between their owners. Gnomeo, a Blue gnome and Juliet, a Red, meet by chance while seeking a nearby run-down uninhabited property. For Gnomeo and Juliet it is love at first sight. The adventurous smitten gnomes, discover and befriend a lonely plastic flamingo held in the abandoned garden shed. Flamingo includes a strikingly similar personality to King Julien XIII from the 2005 animated film "Madagascar." Flamingo is the voice of reason in the movie: believing the hatred of others should not destroy true love. But could their forbidden love overpower the hatred that exists between the Red and also the Blue?
The adventure that unfolds is both entertaining and heart warming, as the gnomes conger up ever increasingly wicked methods to wreak damage to their neighbors. This culminates within the Blues ultimately destroying everything having a gigantic lawnmower, the terrafirminator (created by the voice of Hulk Hogan). Throughout everything, the love between Gnomeo and Juliet endures and ultimately conquers all.
Set to some great soundtrack, Gnomeo and Juliet was fun and toe tapping! Elton John featured strongly in his music and in person: there have been gnomes wearing loud glasses and flamboyant clothing! The wind chimes on the roof had Elton John gnomes playing piano.
The cast seemed to be well chosen, featuring Michael Caine, Patrick Stewart as William Shakespeare, Ozzy Osbourne (an outdoor deer) and many more.
I found Gnomeo and Juliet to become very entertaining! At one hour and 24 minutes it had been just the right length to maintain the kids' attention for the entire movie. Whilst I didn't have high expectations with this Romeo and Juliet remake from an adults perspective, I was pleasantly surprised to experience a fun film for the entire family. It was packed with laughs, specifically for the kids! Fundamentally, the film had a nice message for kids and gives them early contact with English playwright William Shakespeare. The story is clearly aimed at children, but with many jokes and scenes that just the grown ups can understand, it had something for everybody. My kids giggled throughout this movie. Need I say more?