Much Ado About Nothing is perhaps William Shakespeare's most depressing comedy. Although it is ultimately uplifting, throughout the play there are themes that are also prevalent in such devastating tragedies as Romeo and Juliet, and Othello. Trickery, deceit, and death are woven throughout this smartly written comedy; these themes stray from the typical heartening tone used in the rest of his light comedies. Kenneth Branagh took advantage of his artistic license as a director, through integrating concepts of resolution and optimism throughout the movie. Without any physical theatrical elements, Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing is not an entirely lighthearted play. Branagh exercised his right as a creator when he diminished the heavier elements to appease his modern audience. In his film, Branagh softened Shakespeare's overtones of darkness by editing text and weakening the power of the antagonist, Don John.

The antagonist of any story should be able to live up to his title - that is, he should be the catalyst of all major conflicts. In this case, the characters of Don John the Bastard and his followers - namely Conrade and Borachio, establish the unpleasant themes throughout Much Ado Ab

Although it might be easy to blame the shortcomings of Branagh's Much Ado About Nothing on Keanu Reeves' lack of talent, eventually the director must take credit. As much as Don John's character in the film deviates from the man in Shakespeare's text, so does the cinematography of the film add it's own theatrical elements. This is where Branagh goes too far with his concept of the 'bad guys.' Whenever there is dialogue between Don john and another character, the lighting is dim, and it is clear that these characters are up to no good. Although this film device might seem appropriate, when performed it does not prove to be so effective. In Act I, Scene iii, Don John and his gang are gathered in a dark dungeon for some sort of sinister gathering that involves a full body massage. When Reeves appears to be clothed only in a towel, beer belly in full view, his line "it must not be denied but I am a plain-dealing villain," (1.1.31) becomes insignificant. His character completely loses credibility when he delivers his lines from a massage table. The setting in this scene of Branagh's film completely diminishes the weight of Don John's statements. A room full of ragged sweaty men is more likely to make audiences giggle, instead of tremble at the thought of these ruthless characters. This scene is where audiences should begin to understand the evil and cunning nature of Don John's character. It should command attention, and introduce these characters as the ones who hold the power and fate of the characters in the play. This concept of melodramatic cinematography continues and increases throughout the movie. As the plot thickens and the lead characters find themselves in deep trouble, shots of a thunderous lightening storm preface the scenes to come, and the following dramatic episodes are accompanied by menacing background music. Whi

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Approximate Word count = 1239
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)