Directed by:
Baz LuhrmannCinematography:
Mandy WalkerComposer:
Elliott WheelerCast:
Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Olivia DeJonge, Richard Roxburgh, Helen Thomson, Dacre Montgomery, Luke Bracey, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Kodi Smit-McPhee, David Wenham (more)VOD (2)
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Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis explores the life and music of Elvis Presley, seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker. The story delves into the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America. Central to that journey is one of the most significant and influential people in Elvis’s life, Priscilla Presley. (Warner Bros. US)
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Reviews (15)
An energetic romp until the overweight, stoned ending. Baz Luhrmann piles up opulent shots, attractive camera fly-overs and the remixed and reimagined Elvis hits in the background pull you into the story immediately. Hanks’ unreliable narrator, denying any responsibility for the King’s stagnation and eventual decay, is an unlikeable, calculating bastard. His typical economic dodging, the merchandise scene and the corporate over-emphasis on security are the essence of everything that is bad about today’s world and Tom "America’s boy next door" Hanks lays it on us with great verve. Austin Butler is uncompromising and dedicated as Elvis, very faithfully copying his expressive dancing style; Feyd-Rautha is in good hands. The story follows a classic rise and fall pattern, while also going up interesting side roads, whether it is the luck of a white kid who was lucky enough to grow up in a better and all-round righter (black) environment. The timing of the premiere of this movie at the end of a PROUD month is a master stroke straight out of the Colonel’s textbook, the parallels are crystal clear. And Parker’s efforts to keep the King away from politics, family rows, disintegration of marriage, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. But it never runs on the spot. A most quality memorial to a legend.
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It was agony to spend nine years waiting for Baz Luhrmann's next feature film, but at least in terms of the visuals, the editing, and the overall use of the author's characteristic mannerisms, Elvis didn't disappoint, quite the contrary. Everything shines, pulsates, and moves from side to side, from window to window, or over the rooftops exactly as the fans would have hoped. The problematic yet daring creative twist is the narrator. To distance oneself from the idolized icon and let someone speak who, even with the greatest objectivity, is the antagonist, could have resulted in an absolute screenwriting disaster. Instead, Elvis is more alive than other biopics, but also not always comfortable for the audience and sometimes even venomous. In short, it's as if Fletcher were telling us about Australia, or even if the Duke himself was guiding us with his voice after Moulin Rouge! – a completely different kind of emotional experience. I understand everyone for whom this change didn't land right, but I also understand everyone who felt that the creators were forcing them to start hating Tom Hanks. I stayed close to the enthusiastic fever of all the camera and sound tricks, but slightly bitter that all of Baz's films in the last thirty years have resonated with me a bit better.
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The inconsistent storytelling made me dock a star, but it’s a refreshing break from the overly precise biopics that leave no room for creative flair because the narrative itself hogs all the attention. Elvis undeniably had an extraordinary life, and Baz Luhrmann sets the tone right from the start with his opulent storytelling. Sure, I got a bit lost at times, and about thirty minutes in, I felt like the film’s pace suggested an imminent conclusion. But those 160 minutes ultimately make sense. Even though the story drags a bit in the middle, I still felt like I was watching something incredibly original and unique. So what if it’s not a five-star film and the plot was sometimes confusing? Originality matters, and this film will stand out among other biopics of American music legends.
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Two and a half hours of visual debauchery where the editor, the cinematographer and the director's specific signature reign supreme. However, when it comes to the emotional level, with the exception of a few moments, the film only touches the surface. Luhrmann doesn't know how to work well with characters and their personal motivations and emotions, which, among others, was also problem in The Great Gatsby and other films of his. As an homage to Elvis, it is alright, as a proper viewer experience, not so. In this, Elvis is beaten by the romantic A Star Is Born.
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A great film, I certainly didn't expect a flop. It was clear from the first trailer that this was going to be a powerful, emotional, charged and entertaining spectacle that might even go for the Oscars. Austin Butler as Elvis is great, Tom Hanks is unrecognizable but also excellent, the music is of course awesome (all the performances are great), the dialogues are good, and the story managed to surprise several times. There was also the traditional troubles that belong to rising stars like the looming jail time. However I'm a bit sorry that the film isn’t R-rated, and there was no room for drugs and a bit of that wild nightlife, but probably the makers just wanted to show it in the best light. I'd fault the longer running time, but otherwise solid. 8/10.
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