The announcement alone of a Beatles
spectacle from the director, Julie Taymor, was enough to irritate a wave of
purist fans. Taymor is not unfamiliar with the reforming of previous works of
art in different mediums. She was responsible for the Broadway adaptation of
the Disney cartoon, The Lion King,
now adapting a series of Beatles song into a filmed musical which is able to
ride on the past success of Moulin Rouge
which did the same. Although The Beatles purists may shy away from the young
voices altering the songs to make them fit in the musical better, both meaning
and tunes, there is no denying that the plentiful selection of songs from this
period fit quite well in this simple love story set during the turbulent days
of the Vietnam War in the 1960s.
The music really is the most
important element in the film, especially towards the end of the film when the
plot starts to run thin and song after song fills the ending sequences. The
music is also the most creative part of the film, such as the scene in which a
lonely lesbian sings “I Wanna Hold your Hand” to her fellow cheerleader as a
ballet of football players spiral across the screen in a violent dance of
tackles and catches, or a small child singing “Let It Be” amidst a raging riot
in Detroit. Although Taymor is an accomplished film director having made
several successful films before this, it is the theatrical background that
comes into play as the film fluidly moves from music to dialogue as if it were
the most natural thing in the world.
In order to ensure all of the best
Beatles songs can be recalled at the appropriate moments each of the characters
are appropriately named. The story becomes about a group of young people
dealing with the changing world around them while they also find love. The love
the film focuses on is that of Jude played by newcomer Jim Sturgess and Lucy
played by an increasingly appreciated and talented Evan Rachel Wood. Jude moves
from the dockyards of Liverpool to America
The story is a classic boy meets
girl, boy loses girl, and boy wins girl back tale. It is the way that this
simple story is presented that makes it a unique and fun viewing experience.
Using psychedelic photography and bizarre visuals to tell an obvious and
symbolic anti-war message of love, Across the Universe easily sweeps you into
its spell making the one-dimensional qualities of the film less obvious, or at
least easily forgivable. It is a film of spectacle, comforting to watch in the
simplicity, and with the inclusion of several fun cameos including U2’s Bono
and comedian Eddie Izzard.
Entertainment Value:
8.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7/10
Historical
Significance: 6.5/10
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