Is the 1996 version of Romeo and Juliet in old English If so is it too hard to understand for 14 year olds?

Answer 1

To answer your questions, no and no. The 1996 Baz Luhrman film does use Shakespeare's original dialogue but, although it is 400 years old, it is not Old English. It is an early form of Modern English, the same language you used to ask your question. It contains lines like "it is the east and Juliet is the sun", every single word of which is in constant use by English speakers every day. Although there are some words which have passed out of common use, most of them are familiar. What makes it difficult for some people to understand is not the vocabulary but the fact that the people speak in poetry most of the time. Fortunately you are watching a performance, so the actors' actions help to explain the dialogue during difficult parts.

The story should not be beyond the grasp of 14-year olds. The main characters in this story are teenagers, who have issues with their parents, with their explosive emotions, with the way good and bad luck seem to affect their lives. As for the language, younger people actually find it easier to pick up on a new dialect than older ones.

Many many people have watched this play in one of its film versions at the age of 14 or younger and been captivated by it.