The first 90 minutes has Luhrmann doing what he does best, with inspired editing, camerawork and terrific use of music.
But as we approach the end, the pace slows and the direction get a lot more conventional, with Luhrmann increasingly spoon-feeding his points to the viewers and making those 158 minutes felt. This may mirror Elvis' own journey from pioneering artist to yesterday's news - but it doesn't make it any more engaging.
I'm not entirely convinced by Hanks' take on the role, but Austin Butler is nothing short of sensational in the lead. He's worth the price of admission.
Austin Butler is amazing, Hanks is fine. The lavish, showy Baz Luhrman overproduction of the opening is intentionally scaled down as the film progresses and the story becomes sadder. While a cool thematic trick, it does nonetheless make the third act a bit of a slog. It just kind of gets stuck in the mud. Caught in a trap, even. Appropriate, but dull.
I didn't expect that I would like the movie in this way because I have no interest in the singer Elvis Bresley because I have never heard his songs. All I know is that he is a rock and roll legend. I had no interest or any attachment to this character, but the movie made me admire his true personality.
That was so magical with all the beauty of the story and it really hurt my heart. Biographical films about rock stars have something traditional. You see at the beginning of the movies as the hero of the true story he was humble and then you see his rise to the top and his attachment to drugs and his love for women until the end. This movie has this characteristic as well, but the film's direction by Baz Luhrmann was frankly excellent as it had a rhythm The film is fast-paced. It is difficult to take a break between the movie because the rhythm of the film was fast.
Everything was fast until I realized that the story of Elvis could be turned into a series with several episodes, 7 or 8, but when the story was turned into a movie, the events of his life story were transformed into an incredibly fast frame. My eyes were inside the movie as a zoom frame mode following the movie from the first scene to the last scene curiously. The colors were amazing, it was something shiny.
Classic Baz and great take on how to portray the story. Very good throughout and recommended. Modern rap didn't seem to be needed. Great elements otherwise
Austin Butler is absolutely incredible and makes it worth watching, even if the rest of the movie is a lot more uneven.
Luhrmann's style works really well for capturing the fever dream of Elvis's life, but the movie kind drags when it "snaps back" to reality. I kindof wished Luhrmann had kept it cranked to 11 for 2 hours, only for it to come crashing down in the final minutes which would have been more impactful.
Also, man, was Hanks a complete disaster. Every time he reappeared and wouldn't shut up about snow I was completely pulled out of it. Its one of the worst casting and performances I've ever seen.
As a biopic of Elvis Presley, it covers a lot. The first 40-50 minutes are the best filmmaking I’ve seen this year so far. The Louisiana Hayride sequence and everything that happens in Beale Street is beyond perfect. It contextualizes his impact musically, sexually and yes, racially. It also serves as a good and nuanced rebuttal to the reductive and stupid idea “Elvis stole black music”, whatever the hell that could mean (here’s a great commentary by a consultant for the movie).
After that, it can get a little bit formulaic, but one should consider that Elvis had the first rockstar arc. Also, as expected, Baz changes the story and enhances some elements of it. Most of the ‘68 Comeback Special didn’t happen like that and the meltdown on stage at Vegas never happened at all.
But beyond the man himself, I believe the movie works even better as an exploration of the American dream. How the same system that allows something good, beautiful, artistic or whatever to grow, gain public attention, praise and of course money, will eventually end up exploiting and turning that original thing into just another commodity. It is true that, for better and for worse, without the Colonel, the name Elvis Presley wouldn’t be where it is still today. The confrontation they have when Elvis is about to leave him is another highlight. At heart, his love for music (even more than “the love for his fans” which I did feel underdeveloped) is what made him carry on till the end.
Out of the recent music biopics, this is the best. I’ll understand if Austin Butler never drops “the voice”. He channeled the man in a borderline spooky way and as a non-native english speaker, I didn’t find Hanks’ accent bad; I believe it adds to Parker’s trickster nature. I don’t get all the Razzie talk.
Highly recommended but be prepared, this is a sad, sad, sad story. I would also recommend the excellent documentary Elvis Presley: The Searcher for anyone who wants to explore more about The King.
As with other musical biopics of the last few years, don't expect too much chronological accuracy from Baz Luhrmann's Elvis - that's not what it's about. Do expect the director's baroque style and a picture as energetic as its subject. Austin Butler manages to track Elvis' energy levels quite well, I think, from early frenzy to a certain stiffness to those final days, and while the trailer made me want to send Tom Hanks a letter asking him to stop doing voices and accents, he quickly melts into the character of Colonel Tom Parker, con man extraordinaire, very quickly. That Parker is the narrator makes perfect sense in a story where Elvis has little control over his own career - someone self-serving and unreliable, shifting blame for the tragedy, instead tells it, but can't repress the artist completely. Luhrmann has a lot of fun before things turn sour, the movie working rather well when it's a bit of a comedy, but he sadly turns to hackneyed biopic tropes at the end, letting the melodrama play out straightforwardly, cutting to footage of the real Elvis, and dumping epilogue cards before going to credits. What I found most intriguing however, is how he dealt with the whole question of "white man appropriates black music". Through actual scenes but also editing devices, Lurhmann consistently reminds the audience of where the music came from, and paints Elvis as a folk hero who legitimized black music, and therefore black artists, at a time when skin color meant it couldn't reach most people. When the movie needs soundtrack music, it doesn't go to Elvis, it goes to hip-hop, or modern artists whose careers could be said to be similar, placing this one seminal artist in the context of a musical continuum, from which he sprang and that sprang from him. Elvis the Motion Picture is uneven, but there's a lot to like. (Geek Talk: I expected the comic book stuff, but not that many (or any) Star Trek visual references.)
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Comments 1 - 15 of 15
Faas Bloemen
Hanks does the worst Dutch accent of all time. Rubbish.Gabor.
Austin Butler did a fantastic job.Gunness
The first 90 minutes has Luhrmann doing what he does best, with inspired editing, camerawork and terrific use of music.But as we approach the end, the pace slows and the direction get a lot more conventional, with Luhrmann increasingly spoon-feeding his points to the viewers and making those 158 minutes felt. This may mirror Elvis' own journey from pioneering artist to yesterday's news - but it doesn't make it any more engaging.
I'm not entirely convinced by Hanks' take on the role, but Austin Butler is nothing short of sensational in the lead. He's worth the price of admission.
SkilledLunatic
Baz Luhrman's style works wonderfully for a biopic about the King of Rock and Austin Butler feels like an actual reeincarnation of the man.Overall, I think it painted a relatively accurate portrait of Elvis, someone who loved music and the stage above everything else.
frankqb
Austin Butler is amazing, Hanks is fine. The lavish, showy Baz Luhrman overproduction of the opening is intentionally scaled down as the film progresses and the story becomes sadder. While a cool thematic trick, it does nonetheless make the third act a bit of a slog. It just kind of gets stuck in the mud. Caught in a trap, even. Appropriate, but dull.3 stars out of 4
CorPse
If this film was as good as its best parts, it would be an all time great.ahmetaslan27
amazing, beautiful and shocking movieI didn't expect that I would like the movie in this way because I have no interest in the singer Elvis Bresley because I have never heard his songs. All I know is that he is a rock and roll legend. I had no interest or any attachment to this character, but the movie made me admire his true personality.
That was so magical with all the beauty of the story and it really hurt my heart. Biographical films about rock stars have something traditional. You see at the beginning of the movies as the hero of the true story he was humble and then you see his rise to the top and his attachment to drugs and his love for women until the end. This movie has this characteristic as well, but the film's direction by Baz Luhrmann was frankly excellent as it had a rhythm The film is fast-paced. It is difficult to take a break between the movie because the rhythm of the film was fast.
Everything was fast until I realized that the story of Elvis could be turned into a series with several episodes, 7 or 8, but when the story was turned into a movie, the events of his life story were transformed into an incredibly fast frame. My eyes were inside the movie as a zoom frame mode following the movie from the first scene to the last scene curiously. The colors were amazing, it was something shiny.
boulderman
Classic Baz and great take on how to portray the story. Very good throughout and recommended. Modern rap didn't seem to be needed. Great elements otherwiseCaerus
Austin Butler is absolutely incredible and makes it worth watching, even if the rest of the movie is a lot more uneven.Luhrmann's style works really well for capturing the fever dream of Elvis's life, but the movie kind drags when it "snaps back" to reality. I kindof wished Luhrmann had kept it cranked to 11 for 2 hours, only for it to come crashing down in the final minutes which would have been more impactful.
Also, man, was Hanks a complete disaster. Every time he reappeared and wouldn't shut up about snow I was completely pulled out of it. Its one of the worst casting and performances I've ever seen.
baraka92
As a biopic of Elvis Presley, it covers a lot. The first 40-50 minutes are the best filmmaking I’ve seen this year so far. The Louisiana Hayride sequence and everything that happens in Beale Street is beyond perfect. It contextualizes his impact musically, sexually and yes, racially. It also serves as a good and nuanced rebuttal to the reductive and stupid idea “Elvis stole black music”, whatever the hell that could mean (here’s a great commentary by a consultant for the movie).After that, it can get a little bit formulaic, but one should consider that Elvis had the first rockstar arc. Also, as expected, Baz changes the story and enhances some elements of it. Most of the ‘68 Comeback Special didn’t happen like that and the meltdown on stage at Vegas never happened at all.
But beyond the man himself, I believe the movie works even better as an exploration of the American dream. How the same system that allows something good, beautiful, artistic or whatever to grow, gain public attention, praise and of course money, will eventually end up exploiting and turning that original thing into just another commodity. It is true that, for better and for worse, without the Colonel, the name Elvis Presley wouldn’t be where it is still today. The confrontation they have when Elvis is about to leave him is another highlight. At heart, his love for music (even more than “the love for his fans” which I did feel underdeveloped) is what made him carry on till the end.
Out of the recent music biopics, this is the best. I’ll understand if Austin Butler never drops “the voice”. He channeled the man in a borderline spooky way and as a non-native english speaker, I didn’t find Hanks’ accent bad; I believe it adds to Parker’s trickster nature. I don’t get all the Razzie talk.
Highly recommended but be prepared, this is a sad, sad, sad story. I would also recommend the excellent documentary Elvis Presley: The Searcher for anyone who wants to explore more about The King.
chunkylefunga
First of all, this movie should have been an 18.Show us dark and gritty Elvis. Not this pg rubbish they should us. Show us the drugs, sex, and rock and roll!
Hanks Dutch accent was an absolute joke and he was completely wasted in this role.
Movie was far too long and yet managed to mess out key aspects and included nonsen parts.
I'm a big fan of Austin, and whilst his accent was very good, he just lacked that key je ne sais quoi to play Elvis.
Xondar
What a boring movie.Siskoid
As with other musical biopics of the last few years, don't expect too much chronological accuracy from Baz Luhrmann's Elvis - that's not what it's about. Do expect the director's baroque style and a picture as energetic as its subject. Austin Butler manages to track Elvis' energy levels quite well, I think, from early frenzy to a certain stiffness to those final days, and while the trailer made me want to send Tom Hanks a letter asking him to stop doing voices and accents, he quickly melts into the character of Colonel Tom Parker, con man extraordinaire, very quickly. That Parker is the narrator makes perfect sense in a story where Elvis has little control over his own career - someone self-serving and unreliable, shifting blame for the tragedy, instead tells it, but can't repress the artist completely. Luhrmann has a lot of fun before things turn sour, the movie working rather well when it's a bit of a comedy, but he sadly turns to hackneyed biopic tropes at the end, letting the melodrama play out straightforwardly, cutting to footage of the real Elvis, and dumping epilogue cards before going to credits. What I found most intriguing however, is how he dealt with the whole question of "white man appropriates black music". Through actual scenes but also editing devices, Lurhmann consistently reminds the audience of where the music came from, and paints Elvis as a folk hero who legitimized black music, and therefore black artists, at a time when skin color meant it couldn't reach most people. When the movie needs soundtrack music, it doesn't go to Elvis, it goes to hip-hop, or modern artists whose careers could be said to be similar, placing this one seminal artist in the context of a musical continuum, from which he sprang and that sprang from him. Elvis the Motion Picture is uneven, but there's a lot to like. (Geek Talk: I expected the comic book stuff, but not that many (or any) Star Trek visual references.)atryeu
A bunch of stupid rap does NOT belong in an Elvis movie. Instant dislike/low rating for that :(CodeV
Elvis. Elvis Presley - ready to fly. Great show and great movie, more serious than I thought it is.