7/8/2023 0 Comments O&o diskimage professional 16It holds true to Shakespeare's original intention, which pictures Othello as a "Moor", a person with a strange fasion of dress and appearance. I was very pleased that the issue of race wasn't expounded upon in the movie (as I expecting when I saw the first preview). His presence drives the movie, his raging jealousy a brash contrast with Hugo's cool and ruthless methods of deception. Phifer is very convincing in his role as Odin, especially in the dunk contest and the sex scene with Julia Stiles, breathing a murderous rage into a character tragically bound to demise despite his better efforts and honesty. I felt the emotional prescence in this movie much more than I expected to, much more than I would have had had the movie toned its violence and sexual imagery down to snag a more desirable PG-13 rating. But, as "Othello" is a tragedy, "O" can only come to a tragic end. The story that ensues is stellar (naturally, as it is based off of one of Shakespeare's best works). The glory bestowed upon Odin draws ferocious envy one of his friends, Hugo(Josh Hartnett), who plots a scheme playing on Odin's jealous nature to break Odin and Desi up and, in the process, give him some sense of satisfaction. Odin is a knockout NBA prospect and the center of attention wherever he goes, and seems to have everything, including the dean's daughter as his girlfriend, Desi(Julia Stiles). James' fame comes from his incredible prowess on the basketball court. O is Odin James(Mekhai Phifer), the protagonist, whose good intentions and tragic flaws work against him when provoked. For those who haven't picked up on it by now, "O" is a modernization of Shakespeare's "Othello". "O" gets it right, adapting modern language to emphatically convey emotion. Baz Luhrman's "Romeo and Juliet" was a wonderfully artistic movie, but keeping the original dialogue, a risky premise from the outset in a modern background, harmed the flow of the movie, making it seem incongruous. However, given competition such as "10 Things I Hate About You", its not much of a compliment. The high point of "O" is that its probably the best "modern" adaptation of Shakespeare to date.
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