Worst Shakespeare adaption?

Although Al Pacino was very good as Shylock most of the other players were terrible. At every turn the director or whomever seemed to think he knew better than shakespeare and sort to undermine the actual text. Every choice that could be made in interpretation was the least interesting most 'precious' choice possible and the film almost seemed to go out of it's way to miss the point sometimes, many lines ruined by superfluous actions, and pauses, turning jokes into flat blandity, and pathos into nothing.

I can respect something like baz luhrmann's "romeo and juliet," which is crazy but obviously comes from a deeper understanding of the text and characters. if whoever the bozo is who did this merchant of venice had done romeo and juliet, juliet wouldn't be witty, mercuio would be a mute and romeo would be paris!