Though Joss Whedon made a pretty modern version of Much Ado About Nothing, he chose to keep Shakespeare's original dialogue in the play. The language is very different from what we are use to, and many people refuse to read Shakespeare due to the difficulties of the language. However, is the language really that far removed, or as hard to understand as we seem to think? I don't think it is. In fact, it could just be the fact that most people don't know how to read Shakespeare, but I digress. I think Joss Whedon understood that, and that is why he made the choice to keep the language as it was. To show how timeless Shakespeare really is, if given the chance.
Everyone knew what was going on, whether one has read the play or not. Yes, having that opening scene helped us figure out why Benedict and Beatrice don't get along, but even without that you would get the joke about, "I believe this is your daughter." "Her mother hath many times told me so." We still get what the characters are saying, why they are saying it, and what is going on. The story can still be followed.
The only scene I didn't understand was Don John telling Claudio and Don Pedro that Hero has been unfaithful. I knew what was happening because I had read the play, but didn't understand what was being said. I think if I heard it better, I might have gotten it, but for some reason I was really confused with what was going on.
All in all, though, I think the language was a nice touch in Joss Whedon's adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing. It made since with the black and white of the film, but it also showed the timelessness of Shakespeare. Proving Shakespeare really isn't that scary, we just have to take the time to learn how to read the language, and not go in with a bad attitude about his works.
