Much Ado About Nothing

Films based on classic plays are usually big-budget, lavishly filmed, with gorgeous costumes, beautiful sets, sweeping musical scores and awesome visual effects. Certainly William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" has been produced before, i.e. 1993's version with the same production values. Now, take that same classic play, bring it into present day, with normal clothing, normal interiors, but with the same dialect as in Shakespeare's day, and you have this new version.

Leonato (Clark Gregg), the governor of Messina, is visited by his friend Don Pedro (Reed Diamond) who is returning from a victorious campaign against his rebellious brother, Don John (Sean Maher). Accompanying Don Pedro are two of his officers: Benedick (Alexis Denisof) and Claudio (Fran Kranz). While in Messina, Claudio falls for Leonato's daughter, Hero (Jillian Morgese), while Benedick verbally spars with Beatrice (Amy Acker), the governor's niece. The budding love between Claudio and Hero prompts Don Pedro to arrange with Leonato for a marriage. In the days leading up to the ceremony, Don Pedro, with the help of Leonato, Claudio and Hero, attempts to sport with Benedick and Beatrice in an effort to trick the two into falling in love.
Meanwhile, the villainous Don John, with the help of his allies, Conrade (Riki Lindhome) and Borachio (Spencer Treat Clark), plots against the happy couple, using his own form of trickery to try to destroy the marriage before it begins.

Others to round out the cast are Nathan Fillion as Dogberry, and Ashley Johnson as Margaret.

This was effortlessly directed by Josh Whedon ("Serenity" '05, "The Avengers" '12, and a ton of TV work). The way this guy was able to bring these classic characters to present day, keep the Shakespearean dialect and still be able to convey this to the audience in extremely understandable ways was a stroke of genius, not to mention unique. This was also written for the screen by Whedon as well. As mentioned above, the mixture of present day and the dialect of the day is such a simple idea, but aren't the best ideas based in simple? This production was elegant, but casual in nature, but as in true Shakespearean purity, this was saturated with love, deceit, romance, manipulation, and redemption, just like stories today. There were a couple of slow areas in this, but nothing to hamper this rendition.

Whether you're a Shakespeare fan or not, there is something for everyone here-- it has the classic dialect for the sophisticates out there, it has the present day youth for the casual young out there, and it has all the deception, love, lust, etc. for everyone else all presented in a film noir black and white quality.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                      Rated: PG-13                         107mins.