GNOMEO & JULIET

With voices by James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Maggie Smith, Jason Statham, Ashley Jensen, Michael Cain, Matt Lucas, Ozzy Osbourne, Patrick Stewart, Hulk Hogan

Written by Rob Sprackling, John R. Smith & others (based on William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet)

Directed by Kelly Asbury

Taking Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet as basis for this family movie, the makers place the rivalry of the Montegue and Capulet families in neighbouring gardens with gnomes and garden ornaments as characters. Gnomeo is on the Blue side, and Juliet on the Red. Their fiery feud becomes more complicated when the two fall in love. You get high action, humour, some heartfelt sentiment and great digital animation. Their forbidden love is further supplemented by an Elton John soundtrack (the production also attached to his production company). But, with a lot of energy like lawnmower races and battles, the ending does not reflect its original tragic source material (as to be expected).

Extra features give you a Making Of centered around Elton John's music; Frog Talk with Ashley Jensen; Crocodile Rock music video; and deleted scenes as basic pre-animation drawings.

4 / C
- Paul Blom

0 1 2 3 4 5 6
- A - B - C

A: Multiple Viewing Potential
B: Deserves Another Look
C: Once Should Suffice