Disney’s Gnomeo & Juliet was such a strange movie that was the last thing that I expected from a film starring James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Jason Statham, and plenty of other famous actors and celebrities. Marking Touchstone Pictures’ first animated movie since The Nightmare Before Christmas, Gnomeo & Juliet was released in 2011 and was a box office success. The film made $193.9 million at the box office on a $36 million budget, having been distributed by Disney with a theatrical release.

Gnomeo & Juliet follows the plot of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet play but with gnomes in neighboring gardens in Shakespeare’s English hometown, Stratford-upon-Avon. The film was a clever Gnomeo & Juliet’s soundtrack, which heavily featured Elton John's songs. However, despite being an enjoyable movie, it was still unexpected because of the high-profile cast, and it did not fit into Disney’s usual standard of 3D animation.

Gnomeo & Juliet Was Not What I Was Expecting From A Disney Movie With Such A Great Cast

James McAvoy And Emily Blunt's Movie Was A Box Office Success Despite Being Somewhat Generic

Gnomeo & Juliet’s cast is shocking due to the number of famous actors that appear in the movie. Almost every character is voiced by a well-known celebrity, and I was particularly stunned to discover that even Ozzy Osbourne, Hulk Hogan, and Dolly Parton had cameo roles in the movie.

James McAvoy and Emily Blunt star in the lead roles of Gnomeo Bluebury and Juliet Redbrick, whose characters are based on Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. However, the movie changes the play’s original tragic ending of both characters dying for a more upbeat conclusion which fits Gnomeo & Juliet’s light-hearted animation.

Despite the film’s $193.9 million box office success, Gnomeo & Juliet was disappointing because I expected more than a somewhat generic 3D animated comedy from a Disney movie. In the previous year, Disney had released blockbuster hits such as Toy Story 3, Tangled, and Shrek Forever After, which were all highly praised for their cinematography and story concepts.

Although Gnomeo & Juliet was only distributed by Disney, not made, the movie pales in comparison to Disney’s original animated movies. Despite its great cast, it felt very cheap in of production, with a lot of continuity errors and childish gags.

Gnomeo & Juliet Is Worth Watching By The Voice Performances Alone

The Disney Movie Made Brilliant Casting Choices

Although Gnomeo & Juliet was disappointing for a Disney movie, the animated film's voice-acting performances by celebrities make it worth watching. In particular, Ashley Jensen’s wild performance as Nanette, a Scottish plastic garden frog, made me smile from the sheer absurdity of what I was watching. Jensen’s distinct Scottish accent and strange character design distinguish her from the rest of the cast, causing her to steal scenes from Emily Blunt's Juliet. Jim Cummings makes a surprising appearance as the Spanish lawn flamingo, Featherstone, whose lonely nature causes him to be the wisest character in the movie.

Hulk Hogan’s gruff American voice stands out in the mostly British cast but was ultimately the best choice for portraying the Terrafirminator.

Patrick Stewart voicing William Shakespeare’s statue was the perfect casting choice for Gnomeo & Juliet considering Stewart’s theater background. Stewart has performed Shakespeare’s plays for decades and his smooth British voice is perfect for the role as he offers advice to a disheartened Gnomeo. However, the best performance in the film was arguably Hulk Hogan's. Hulk Hogan’s gruff American voice stands out in the mostly British cast but was ultimately the best choice for portraying the Terrafirminator.