Gnomeo & Juliet – A eOne Films’ Release

http://www.gnomeoandjuliet.com/

Release Date: February 11th

Rated G

Running time: 84 minutes

 

Kelly Asbury (dir.)

 

John R. Smith (screenplay)

Rob Sprackling (screenplay)

 

Based on the original play by William Shakespeare

 

Elton John (music)

James Newton Howard (music)

Chris Bacon (music)

 

James McAvoy as Gnomeo (voice)

Emily Blunt as Juliet (voice)

Ashley Jensen as Nanette (voice)

Michael Caine as Lord Redbrick (voice)

Matt Lucas as Benny (voice)

Jim Cummings as Featherstone (voice)

Maggie Smith as Lady Bluebury (voice)

Jason Statham as Tybalt (voice)

Ozzy Osbourne as Fawn (voice)

Stephen Merchant as Paris (voice)

 

©Touchstone Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Juliet (Emily Blunt), Gnomeo (James McAvoy) and Featherstone (Jim Cummings) in Gnomeo & Juliet.

Our reviews below:

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Gnomeo & Juliet Review By John C.

*** (out of 4)

For years, I’m sure, moviegoers have been wondering what would happen if you crossed one of William Shakespeare’s most beloved plays, performed it with animated garden gnomes, and added a rocking soundtrack by Elton John.  The result is Gnomeo & Juliet – a surprisingly entertaining take on the classic tragedy, that comes to us from Shrek 2 co-director Kelly Asbury.

 

When Gnomeo (James McAvoy) ventures into his neighbouring garden, he meets Juliet (Emily Blunt), and they immediately become star-crossed lawn decorations.  Tensions rise due to the fact that Gnomeo wears a blue hat and Juliet a red one, and both the red and blue gardens have been sworn enemies since presumably before Shakespeare died.

 

A minor subplot involving a landscaping machine seems a little too generic, but when the film works, it works as well as could be expected.  The script is filled with sly winks and silly puns, which keep the tone light and entertaining for those of all ages.  The animation, done right here in Toronto at Starz, is beautifully textured and believably brings the gnomes to life.  The visuals are a particular highpoint regardless of whether or not you see the film in 3D.

 

The voices of the always appealing characters are provided by an all-star cast, and the majority of the music is delightfully provided by the classic songs of Elton John.  The film is at it’s best in some of the quieter scenes, like a flashback sequence that involves a pink flamingo named Featherstone (Jim Cummings), and beautifully utilizes the song “Love Built a Garden.”

 

Gnomeo & Juliet is a strangely appealing and surprisingly entertaining take on the Shakespeare tragedy, that provides a fun diversion for those of all ages.

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Gnomeo & Juliet Review By Erin V.

***1/2 (out of 4)

Gnomeo and Juliet is a version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet told with garden gnomes.  It sounds like the kind of premise where the punning title came first and the story was hammered out later.  Based off a script that was kicked around for years from various studios, read and revised by many writers, one could cynically say without even watching it, that this is a film destined to never work… only, it does.  And maybe, it’s because of the many influences it picked up along the way.

 

The trailer gives you a fairly accurate idea of what to expect – a fun, amusing version of the classic love story.  I liked Gnomeo (James McAvoy) and Juliet’s (Emily Blunt) interactions – they felt to believably fall in love, and grounded the story nicely.  Along with Gnomeo and Juliet, I also really liked Featherstone, Nanette, Bennie, Schroom, and the little red group of gnomes to name a few.  (In fact, I liked all of the characters, and although some were sillier than others, none of them annoyed me.)

 

There are some nice quiet scenes in the film and some more action oriented ones.  The lawn mower races are fun to watch and there are moments that leave you wondering what will happen next.  Granted younger members of the audience will be held in more suspense than those of us familiar with the source material this was inspired from, although adults will likely find the nods to Shakespeare’s various works fun to find sprinkled throughout.  Elton John’s songs were also placed very well and fittingly into the film.

 

Quickly on the other end of the equation – the technical side of things – the script is concise and witty, and the excellent voice cast all do a really good job in their roles.  The animation is done with lovely detail and attention (animated at Starz Animation in Toronto).  Of another note, the foley is well matched to the objects, paying close attention to the sound ceramic and plastic make when coming into contact with various other textures.

 

Overall, I think this is a fun one to see, especially around Valentine’s Day.  I’d take it over a lot of the live-action rom-coms I’ve seen any day.  Is it brilliant?  No.  But is a lot of fun to watch?  Yes.  I really enjoyed this one and wouldn’t mind a second viewing once it comes to DVD – it’s just 84 minutes of straight-up fun.

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Gnomeo & Juliet Review By Nicole

***1/2 (out of 4)

Do you ever wonder what lawn ornaments do when no one is around?  Gnomeo & Juliet takes Shakespeare’s famous tragedy and retells it as a modern tale of forbidden ceramic love.  Miss Montague’s blue garden gnomes and Mr. Capulet’s red ones have always been enemies.  One night, when blue gnome Gnomeo (James McAvoy) and red gnome Juliet (Emily Blunt) venture out of their yards, they meet and fall in love at first sight.  Their families, however, are at war so the love affair is kept a secret.  What will happen when the romance is discovered?

 

Oddly enough, Gnomeo & Juliet works on so many levels.  While not Shakespeare, the movie is full of adventure and has just the right balance of action, suspense and quirkiness.  The animation, (which was done by the Toronto animation studio, Starz), is beautifully detailed.  Every living thing, including plants, dogs, and even the humans whom are only seen at gnome level, is quite realistic.  The gnomes and the other garden decorations, right down to their paint, are strangely believable.  I loved all the characters in all of their off the wall fashion.  The decision to use classic Elton John songs as well as setting the film in England works brilliantly.

 

If you want to see a sweet and funny romance, then don’t miss this movie.  Gnomeo & Juliet will hopefully become one of those quirky family classics that any age can enjoy.

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Gnomeo & Juliet Review By Maureen

*** (out of 4)

How do you gnome when love is for real?  When it doesn’t matter whether the object of your desire wears a red hat or a blue one.  Inspired by Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy, Gnomeo & Juliet is a funny and over-the-top retelling of the classic tale using animated garden gnomes.  One can only imagine the Bard spinning in his grave.

 

In a quiet little British town are two houses side by side.  The blue house belongs to Miss Montague (Julie Walters) and the red one to Mr. Capulet (Richard Wilson).  In their side by side gardens, the blue house is filled with blue flowers and blue-hatted gnomes.  The red house has red flowers and red-hatted gnomes.  The neighbours don’t get along and neither do their lawn decorations.

 

The fun begins with a lawn mower race between the gnomes.  When red-hatted Tybalt (Jason Statham) cheats and Gnomeo’s (James McAvoy) blue lawnmower is destroyed, the blue gnomes are out for revenge.  Meanwhile, Red-hatted Juliet (Emily Blunt) is tired of being considered by her father, Lord Redbrick (Michael Caine) to be too delicate to be anything more than a pretty garden ornament.  With the help of her Nanny frog, Nanette (Ashley Jenson) Juliet dons a disguise and sneaks off to find adventure and a special orchid.  Gnomeo is also in disguise and out for revenge on the red garden.  The pair meet by accident at the greenhouse and of course the ceramic sparks fly.

 

The rest of the movie plays out the secret rendezvous, family feuds and misadventures that are all part of the classic tale.  These gnomes and the many other garden ornaments are a real hoot to see and hear.  The dialogue is really funny with many Shakespearean references that the grown ups will get.  The animation by Toronto’s Starz Animation Studio is nicely done, and the texture and colouring of the gnomes is believable.

 

The real star of the movie is the wonderful selection of Elton John songs that add to the fun and over-the-top feel.  There are also some standout scenes in Gnomeo & Juliet. My favourites are Featherstone Flamingo (Jim Cummings) telling his sad love story, and a scene with Gnomeo having a conversation with a park statue of William Shakespeare.

 

Gnomeo & Juliet is one of those movies that you’ll either love or just find too silly to give it a chance.  But families of all ages, Elton John fans and those with a fondness for garden gnomes are sure to enjoy it.  You may finally feel inspired to get some gnomes for your garden.

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Gnomeo & Juliet Review By Tony

*** (out of 4)

Gnomeo & Juliet is the latest version of the star-crossed lovers tale with animated garden gnomes. Unfriendly next-door neighbours named Montague and Capulet have rival gardens with blue-capped and red-capped gnomes respectively, that come to life whenever humans aren’t looking.

 

Aside from innumerable puns and other references to Shakespeare and Elton John who supplied many of the tunes, there is little to resemble the original play, but it works well on its own terms. Beautifully rendered 3D animation from Toronto’s Starz studios combines today’s technology with the classic style of the best animated films of the 1930s. The clever script delivered by a brilliant voice cast will appeal on different levels to all ages.

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Consensus: With an all-star voice cast and beautifully textured visuals from Toronto’s Starz Animation, Gnomeo & Juliet is a surprisingly appealing and entertaining take on Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. ***1/4 (Out of 4)