Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of the Shakespeare classic Romeo and Juliet is complete butchery throughout the film. First of all, most of the characters are a parody of Shakespeare's originals, exaggerated to the point of mockery. Second, the Washington Post puts it perfectly: “The barrage of stylized violence, gymnastic camera shots and other visual effects dominate the spoken word poetry – which was once the most important part of a Shakespeare play” (Howe). Third, the settings are so altered and removed from what they were in the original play that they change the entire meaning of certain scenes. These three points lead to the fact that Baz Luhrmann's adaptation fails to convey the true meaning and emotional impact of Shakespeare's original. The first butchery of this adaptation is that of the characters. As the Washington Post puts it, “Luhrmann…turns the Montagues into floral-shirted, Miami Beach-looking punks who sport 9mm revolvers…. The Capulets are street princes in funeral black, also armed to the teeth” (Howe). Tybalt is a great example of this. Although Shakespeare...