Tromeo & Juliet

TROMEO AND JULIET (3+ outta 5 stars)

Well, you gotta give this movie points for sheer nerve, if nothing else. Basing a low budget sex-and-violence schlock-fest on one of the greatest Shakespearean romances... it's probably not one of the best ideas ever. But, you know what? It works! Not for everyone, mind you... you need to have a high tolerance for sick humour, bloody special effects, gratuitous nudity and Shakespearean soliloquies. Actually they trimmed a lot of the William S. dialogue after test audiences didn't approve (go figure)... but the plot is still the same. Tromeo and Juliet, belonging to two different families with a lot of bad blood between them, meet and fall in love and decide to go against their families' wishes and be together. Tragedy and violence follow... as well as copious amounts of sleaze. I've seen a few movies from Troma Pictures and they are all basically the same... but I think this is probably their best effort.

I've recently became curious about the Troma film industry. I wanted to keep an open mind to its quirky, crude, tasteless, brainless, gratuitous, violent, disgusting style (if you can call it that). These are the type of movies that make great cult flicks. And I have nothing against cult flicks, in general, but this one wasn't completely...up to my taste.

There's lots of nudity and gratuitous violence. There's a steamy lesbian sex scene which is worth rewinding and hitting the slo-mo button on your remote. You can tell this movie was going straight towards "guilty pleasure" territory. However, half of the scenes in the movie are so repulsive, ugly and vomit-inducing that I had a hard time pleading guilty. This is sick, twisted entertainment that is DEFINITELY not for all tastes!

I have to admit I laughed at some scenes, was stimulated by gratuitous nudity and just found some portion of the movie to be oddly appealing. I can't help but appreciate a movie that's different. I'm tired of seeing this standard mainstream Hollywood crap, and I crave for originality--but "Tromeo and Juliet" just doesn't the type of originality I crave. It doesn't have that "Seinfeld" show-about-nothing type of originality. It has that sick, David Lynch type of originality, sometimes used as an excuse to display the evil fantasies that lurk deep down inside and express them on screen. The effects are generally gross--though obviously fake--and the humor is generally stupid--and not the "funny stupid."

I'm sure I'll get fried by the Troma Fans Union of America, but if you pay close attention to my review--like you should--I'm NOT panning this movie on account of EVERYBODY on the face of this Earth. I'm saying what I THINK, and as far as I know--that's the intent of these message boards.

Troma fans will love this movie! Others...beware!

My score: 4 (out of 10)

This trash version of `Romeo and Juliet' passes in Manhattan in the present days. Romeo (Will Keenan) is an a**hole and violent member of family Que, and Juliet (Jane Jensen) is a sexy (with beautiful legs and breasts) and bisexual girl of Capulet family. The scatological situations this romantic pair will face are very funny. Although being a cult movie (inclusive exhibited in Rio de Janeiro Festival), it is not recommended for all the audiences. If the viewer is fan of Peter Jackson's former movies (`Braindead', `Bad Taste'), `Toxic Avenger', `Body Melt' and other trash movie, he will certainly love this flick. Otherwise, he will hate it. Since I belong to the first group, my vote is eight.

Tromeo And Juliet is a funny movie. It's a good movie. It's a cool movie. And even a perverted and violent movie. But above all it is a weird movie. Bill Shakespere wouldn't just roll over in his grave if he saw this he'd probably spin like a top. There's a lot to be said for a movie that has a person in the credits under the title "stunt nipple". The found a peanut bouncing head is hilarious, but not as funny as the guy picking up his brain and futily trying to put it back in his head while crying. The religious hymn of "Job We Gather At The River" each time someone dies brings happy recollections of the opening moments in The Wild Bunch. This is definately a good movie. Watch it sober your first time around however.

Once upon a time, Troma, the company that brought us cinema classics such as: The Toxic Avenger, Rabid Grannies, Poultrygeist, Redneck Zombies and Surf Nazis Must Die, decided long ago to adapt Shakespeare's famous play, 'Romeo and Juliet.' This adaptation decided to spice up the story by adding kinky sex, extreme violence, genital monsters, body piercing and incest and it succeeded in creating a bizarre yet hilarious film. Anyone going into a Troma production should know what to expect, and that is irreverent and perverse comedy with plenty of political incorrectness. Expect plenty of nods to other Troma films and plenty of re-used gags (flipping cars and head squashing). Many may think it sounds like utter crap that only morons would find funny...they may be right, but at the same time they may need to lighten up and enjoy the insanity and mind-numbingness that is Tromeo and Juliet.

With a great cast, a funny script (by James Gunn and Lloyd Kaufman), a fitting soundtrack and plenty of great visual gags, Kaufman has yet again succeeded in turning what is right upside down and grossing the hell out of everyone. Get some popcorn, grab a beer, invite your friends over and enjoy Tromeo and Juliet for what it is, a Shakespeare adaptation with plenty of balls. The end.

4/5