In the same year that the UK’s Royal Shakespeare Company films a live performance of ‘Much Ado’ at The Globe Theatre in London is there really a need for yet another movie of this classic comedy? After seeing Joss Whedon’s exhilarating contemporary version, the answer is a very definite ‘yes’!  

Writer/director Whedon best known for ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’ and ‘Toy Story 3’ had just finished filming ‘The Avengers’ and had a spare two weeks before he started post production. He and a group of actor friends had been staging readings of Shakespeare’s works for years, and from there he developed an urge to adapt ‘Much Ado’ for the big screen.  Using familiar TV and stage actors, but no big name stars, he filmed the whole movie in 12 days completely in his own house and grounds in Los Angeles.

Shot in black & white using natural light in many of the scenes this modern day dress version has a very stylish look and feel.   But it is the substance of the plot and the richness of Shakespeare’s text (that Whedon skilfully edited down to 109 minutes) that shines through most of all.  The production hits the ground running from the very first scene and never lets up for one single moment.

Of the two sets of lovers that both have different takes on their version of romance, it is Beatrice and Benedick who win our hearts as well as each others. Their rapid fire barbs are quite glorious and reminded me so much of one of the early Tracey Hepburn screwball comedy movies. Performed here by Amy Acker (‘Angel’) and Alexis Denisof (‘Angel’ & ‘The Avengers’) who play alongside such an excellent well-casted ensemble.

Whedon’s take remains faithful to Shakespeare’s core but somehow he emphasises the sexuality of the piece, and it is brimming with vitality and energy. I will profess to neither being an expert or Shakespearean purist, but for my money it would be nigh on impossible to produce a version so extraordinarily wonderful as this.  It certainly even surpasses Kenneth Branagh’s excellent version in 1993 which had the distraction of a superstar cast.

Totally unmissable.

★★★★★★★★★