4/5 stars

Joss Whedon is better known lately for bringing superheroes to the big screen and reinventing the horror genre, but in his latest film, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy Much Ado About Nothing, Whedon returns to his roots, and produces a stylish reimagining of a classic love story. Filmed in black and white and reuniting Whedon with Alexis Denisof, Amy Acker, Nathan Fillion, Fran Kranz and Clark Gregg. The film industry is never short of a Shakespeare story or two, and Much Ado About Nothing is only the first of a few Bard tales headed for the big screen this year.

Yet Whedon has once again proven why he is one of the most bankable directors in Hollywood today. His versatility is such that he can transition from big budgets on the likes of Avengers Assemble and The Cabin in the Woods to a low-key project such as Much Ado About Nothing without any difficulty, which perhaps comes from his years working on cult classics such as Firefly and Doctor Horrible’s Sing-a-Long Blog. Considering the film was made in less than two weeks filmed at Whedon’s California ranch, the film only becomes more impressive.

Featuring strong performances from the whole cast, particularly Denisof and Acker whom are perfectly cast as Benedick and Beatrice respectively. Blending Shakespeare’s own words with stunning cinematography and a present day setting, Whedon has created a touching take on an iconic play, that is likely to delight fans of Shakespeare and Whedonites equally. Selected as part of Bradford International Film Festival, this intelligent and warm romantic drama will be released nationwide later this summer, and amidst the superheroes hitting the big screen, provides a welcome retreat into a dreamlike world, arguably one of the best film adaptations of a Shakespeare work to come out of the industry in recent years.

Hannah Woodhead