10 Movies You May Not Realise Are Based On The Work Of Shakespeare

9. Martial Arts + Romeo And Juliet = Romeo Must Die

Shakespeare Shes The Man
Warner Bros.

Speaking of Romeo and Juliet, if you thought the combination of zombies and love was weird, the slightly above average martial arts flick, Romeo Must Die, manages to outdo it.

Starring Jet Li, this film swaps daggers and castles, for martial arts and the mean streets of Oakland, California. As far as the plot is concerned, it changes the traditional story, instead focusing on a race feud between warring gangland families. Similarities to the original play lay with Li's character who spends half the film pursuing the daughter of a powerful gang leader, played by the late Aaliyah.

Romeo Must Die wasn't the stars finest hour, though to be fair to him, it was only his second Hollywood release after Lethal Weapon 4. The film has its issues, and has little to do with Shakespeare's work, but there’s no denying the wow factor of the fight scenes, and that's the real reason we watch these types of films.

Contributor
Contributor

Josh Sammons hasn't written a bio just yet, but if they had... it would appear here.