How successful was Baz Luhrmann's appropriation "Romeo and Juliet" compared to the original play by William Shakespeare

Baz Luhrmann's film, Romeo and Juliet, is very successful as an appropriation of the original play by Shakespeare. Transforming the pre-16th century play into a contemporary popular culture film was done creatively by keeping the same values and language, but changing the context. This is illustrated by the use of anachronisms. For instance, daggers and swords are replaced by guns as well as cars stand in for horses. The disputes between members of the …

…in the film, Luhrmann has used fire, guns, cars, and explosions to emphasise the seriousness of the situation. People are more familiar with this sort of violence because it is seen in the media and therefore it will appear more realistic to them. And the sentiment that people may obtain will be more practical and dynamic. This is why the film is so successful, it compels people to understand the original play a lot better.