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I’m a huge fan of director Julie Taymor. Her 1999 feature film Titus, was visually stunning. She followed it up with the colourful Frida and the sensory overload experience that was Broadway’s The Lion King. So when I saw the amazing trailer for her latest flick Across the Universe, I was stoked: a full-blown musical, told through the songs of the Beatles.

Maybe my expectations were a bit too high, because this movie disappointed me. What happened, Julie?

I think the problem is the overly simple, seen-it-before, cliche-ridden plot: A young immigrant (Jim Sturgess) comes to America in the 60s to find his birth father, and gets wrapped up in the Rock n’ Roll revolution and anti-war protests. A few psychedelic drug and war montages later, we’re supposed to care if the boy gets the girl (Evan Rachel Wood).

But when this movie shines, it shines. Highlights include “I’ve Just Seen A Face” set in a bowling alley, “Let It Be” contrasted with the deadly consequences of war, “I Want You” as a freaky Army recruitment dance number, and “Strawberry Fields” emphasized with great art work.

Unfortunately it’s the celebrity cameos that stall the action of the film, especially Bono as a hippie party entertainer and Eddie Izzard as a bizarre Circus Conductor. Their scenes are just pure filler and obviously thrown in for their star power, as if there was a fear the leads couldn’t carry the film on their own; however both Jim Sturgess and Evan Rachel Wood deliver the goods. Who knew Evan Rachel Wood could actually belt it out?

But overall I left the theatre feeling “meh”.

At least the soundtrack is great – the 2-Disc Deluxe Edition is currently set on repeat on my iPod.

Posted on Monday, September 24th, 2007 at 4:46 pm by Soja and is filed under Just For Fun.

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