Though Gnomeo & Juliet was initially set for release below the Walt Disney Pictures banner, John Lasseter canceled the production after he was made the studios head honcho back in 2006. Its not tough to see why Lasseter selected to do this, as the film, while not bad, exactly, hardly lives up to the incredibly high standard set by Disneys animation division.

Its very complicated to pinpoint exactly where Gnomeo & Juliet goes wrong. On paper, the movie without doubt looks like a winning piece of work its well animated, it features several stand-out voice performances, and its got a number of catchy songs by Elton John yet there is just never a point at which director Kelly Asbury is able to wholeheartedly capture the viewers interest.

Touchstone Pictures' 'Gnomeo & Juliet'

Touchstone Pictures:

The promising nature of the premise it is, after all, Romeo and Juliet with garden gnomes eventually provides thanks to a stale atmosphere thats been peppered with an abundance of kid-friendly elements, with the repetitive midsection, which seems to consist primarily of back-and-forth battles between the two sides, only highlighting the films absence of compelling and engrossing elements.

The Story:

Based on William Shakespeares play Romeo and Juliet, Gnomeo & Juliet unfolds in a British suburb and details the fierce rivalry between two neighbors with their ongoing battle extending even to the inanimate objects that reside within their respective backyards. Gnomeo (James McAvoy) may be a rebellious member of the Blues, with his desire to see what lies beyond his fence eventually bringing him face to face with Juliet (Emily Blunt).

Juliet, a Red, is a feisty and independent gnome who must contend with an overprotective father and an intimidating cousin (Jason Stathams Tybalt). And although she is aware of that neither man would approve, Juliet embarks on a secret relationship with Gnomeo.The couples forbidden love eventually takes them to an abandoned yard where they meet a flamboyant flamingo who teaches them the importance of staying together and trusting one another.

As expected, its not long before the Reds and also the Blues discover the truth about Gnomeo and Juliets illicit relationship. Both sides begin preparing for an epic battle, with the arrival of an oversized and ludicrously powerful lawnmower known as the Terrafirmenator on the scene set to swiftly end the feud once and for all.

Its in the voice performances that Gnomeo & Juliet excels. Though McAvoy and Blunt deliver competent however unspectacular performances, the film boasts a quirky supporting cast that knocks it out of the park on an impressively consistent basis. Leading the pack is, of course, Michael Caine, as the Oscar-winning actor turns during a scene-stealing voice performance that infuses the movie with much-needed instances of depth.

And although Maggie Smith and Jason Statham are quite smart in their respective roles, its Patrick Stewart who ultimately walks away with the title of MVP. The former Star Trek actor solely seems in one scene as a metallic statue of William Shakespeare, yet he manages to show his iconic character into an engaging and surprisingly hilarious figure that exits the proceedings so much too quickly.