Joss Whedon's Interpretation Of Much Ado About Nothing?
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Joss Whedon’s interpretation of the Shakespearian comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, is a daring, captivating new take on the cherished classic, providing a fresh, effective combination of classic and contemporary elements. It elevates the work of Shakespeare to new heights, taking the story and the characters to places that haven’t been explored before, while still faithfully reminding us what we all know and love of the familiar work. Though it may not have fared as well in the box office as the Avengers, its modern translation, older film techniques, and marvelous acting performances will ensure that Whedon’s work will be remembered and treasured long after its cinematic debut. Modern interpretations of Shakespeare’s, figuratively speaking,…show more content… In a short, concise flashback, Whedon depicts Benedick fitting into a modern male stereotype and leaving Beatrice early in the morning after a night of passion, depicting how, despite both of their wishes, their relationship simply didn’t work out. The actual screen time the scene takes up is only around thirty seconds, but that’s all it needs. Already, the audience is set up to understand the tension between these two characters, and more importantly, they’ve been lead to perceive what they’re about to see with modern frame of mind. They aren’t thinking about some dusty, old Shakespeare story; they’re expecting a current romantic-comedy that happens to have some advanced dialogue thrown into the mix. Whedon keeps up this modernized tone throughout the play, and when the audience gets to the scene where Claudio accuses Hero of not being faithful, he cuts a few lines here and there that specifically reference the out of date point of view. Now, through some effective dialogue trimming, the scene is more directed towards Hero’s cheating on her wedding night rather than her simply no longer being a maid. This is something that the audience can clearly relate to, and so they don’t find it surprising when other characters lash out against her for her deplorable actions. At no point throughout the movie is the audience reminded of…show more content… Thankfully, it can be said that this movie delivers. Everyone from the lead roles to the smallest parts give sterling performances that capture the very essence of Shakespeare, and, as this same group of people have become accustomed to reenacting these stories together in their spare time, they all possess a kind of chemistry that just couldn’t be attained through acting alone. Beatrice and Benedick’s relationship is spot on: their fights are heated, their witticisms are inspired, and their eventual romance is nothing short of heartwarming (also, let it be said that the sequences where they’re made to believe the other is in love with them is absolutely hysterical). Beyond that, Claudio and Hero are perfectly innocent and enamored with each other, as they should be, Don Jon is an excellent combination of dark, sleazy, and plotting, and Nathan Fillion’s pompously foolish portrayal of Dogberry arrives just in the nick of time to relieve the audience with laughter when the plot takes a turn for the worst. This cast highlights the very best Whedon has to offer and makes what would’ve been a good Shakespeare film into a fantastic