Cloud of Muses

The Great Gatsby is one of the greatest works of literature of all time written by the renowned author, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Throughout the years, there have been many adaptations of the book. However, none has been well-received by critics. In 2013, an Australian director, Baz Luhrmann has decided to remake The Great Gatsby, this time in 3D. For those who do not know who is Baz Luhrmann, the Australian is a director famous for his critically acclaimed romance movies, Strictly Ballroom (1992) and Australia (2008).

What makes The Great Gatsby receive much spotlight? Well, first it has pretty impressive casts line up, with A-list actors, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire joining the cast. Moreover, the movie features Bollywood legendary star, Amitabh Bachchan. In addition, the film seems pretty interesting too with its combination of two elements, the 1920s and the modern day characteristic into one. Featuring a variety of modern day music by Lana Del Rey, Beyonce, Gotye, Sia, and Jay-Z, it is indeed a fun experience to hear the voice of modern day singer in 1920s rhythm and atmosphere.
The Great Gatsby didn’t really have a ‘great’ beginning.

Bachchan (left), Maguire (centre) and DiCaprio (right) Image taken from Google Images

It was called a failure in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s career as an author due to its poor sales. If wasn’t until the World War II where it began to gain recognition among the public and raised to be crowned as one of the Great American Novel. However, the book’s bad luck did not stop there. Soon, many film adaptations were released but each of them was so horribly directed. In a short while, The Great Gatsby was crossed out from directors’ list.

Baz Lurhmann has indeed taken a bold move. Who knew that after so many years, someone has finally wanted to revive The Great Gatsby? With its horrible past, it was odd to have Lurhmann deciding to make it into a movie once again.  The 3-D version of The Great Gatsby was perfect, bringing out the 1920s out of life. The vibrant city colors really depict the feels of the 1920s.
DiCaprio was awesome, his acting was right on the spot and he convincingly brought out the 1920s character to life. He managed to capture the essence of Gatsby perfectly. DiCaprio’s vocal diction, mannerisms were exactly of the character, Jay Gatsby. On the other hand, Cary Mulligan who acted as Daisy Buchanan was not that bad either. She played the role of the damsel in distress Daisy really well, with her falsetto tone and gentle, yet sometimes too annoying gestures.

Gatsby's gorgeous mansion Images taken from Google Images

 Tobey Maguire, famous for his Spiderman role in Spiderman was given the roles as naïve, boring Nick Carraway. Although his character wasn’t as bright as DiCaprio’s or Mulligan’s, his presence was vital to keep the movie’s tone down. Though he was sometimes forgettable in the film, Maguire did a good job in his portrayal as the ever forgettable Nick. All actors in The Great Gatsby gave an emotionally loud performance which really fits the 1920s theme.

One of the bright, flamboyant parties held in Gatsby's Mansion Image taken from Google Images

Unlike many other adaptations, The Great Gatsby’s plot is exactly as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book. There was not added plots or characters into the movie. In short, it is a pure adaptation of the Great American Novel. I truly enjoyed myself watching The Great Gatsby. Although I have not read the book, the movie was indeed well-balanced, with its vibrant visuals, A-listers, beautiful costumes and original plots. Nevertheless, I wished Lurhmann would have focused more on developing the characters rather than splashing out in creating its pretty looking sceneries and visuals. Let's celebrate this very moment where finally a decent adaptation of The Great Gatsby has appeared!

Image taken from Google Images

 Cloud of Muses Ratings : 8.1/10

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