Shot-by-Shot Analysis of Mercutios Death in Romeo + Juliet (1996)
The scene begins with a low angled shot as Tybalt leaps into frame from a balcony to beat Romeo lying off screen out of frame below him. Shot two is over the shoulder of Tybalt, or rather over the hip, and shows Romeo in the sand being kicked by Tybalt. Shot three is a cut to Mercutios face full in frame as he looks on in disbelief. He is a friend to both housesMontagues and Capuletsbut Romeo is his best friend and he cannot understand why Romeo will not fight back. He does not know yet that Romeo is married to a Capulet. The camera pans down quickly to show Mercutio reaching for his gun and holding it up to his face as he considers intervening. Shot four shows Tybalt continuing to savagely beat Romeo and is again over the shoulder or hip of Tybalt. Shot five cuts back to Mercutio as he makes up his mind to intervenebut not with his gun, which he drops into the sand at his feet: the camera follows it down as it
…for a modern audience, and this beach death scene of Mercutio helps to up the dramatic effect and tension for the modern viewer. It spells trouble for both houses and indeed becomes trouble for both houses, as Romeo goes on to lose his cool and seek revenge in a most bloody fashion, killing Tybalt (shooting him point blank) for killing Mercutio.
That of course leads to Romeos banishment, Juliets poisoning of herself, Romeos mistaken belief that she is really dead; his suicide and then her suicide. None of it would have happened, perhaps, had not Mercutio stayed out of the fight between Tybalt and Romeobut it is all foreshadowed from the opening scenethe fight at the petrol station. Violence is in the streets and…
