Reviews of Across the Universe

All you need is a better script...

Posted : 10 months, 4 weeks ago on 16 December 2008 11:56 (A review of Across the Universe)

"Music's the only thing that makes sense anymore, man. Play it loud enough, it keeps the demons away."

Director Julie Taymor's trippy, psychedelic, lush tribute to the music of The Beatles can be suitably branded as ambitious and audacious. Across the Universe seeks to tell a fictional love story set amid the tumultuous years of the 1960s, and utilises countless Beatles songs in its storytelling - naming characters, planting allusions, and drawing plot inspiration from the Fab Four's musical oeuvre. All told, almost three dozen Beatles songs feature on the soundtrack. Taymor was responsible for the Broadway retelling of The Lion King, thus the songs employed therein are largely reconceptualised to suit the medium of film. Visually, Across the Universe is a marvel - it's exquisite, clever, creative and enthralling. It additionally contains traces of romance and war, accompanied by issues of the 1960s (i.e. the Vietnam War, drugs, protests, and so on). But Across the Universe fails to include two constituents utterly crucial for a motion picture: a solid story and narrative focus. It's a prolonged, asinine dream - and it doesn't make a lick of sense!

All the protagonists are named after Beatles songs while also alluding to Sixties' icons. There's Jude (Sturgess) from Hey Jude, Lucy (Wood) from Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Max (Anderson) from Maxwell's Silver Hammer, Prudence (Carpio) from Dear Prudence, JoJo (Luther) from Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, and Sadie (Fuchs) from Sexy Sadie. Logically, much of these character names exist to allow a musical set-piece to be performed about them.
As Sadie belts out Helter Skelter and Don't Let Me Down, she unmistakably resembles Janis Joplin. Likewise, with JoJo's soulful electric guitar playing during While My Guitar Gently Weeps, he's an obvious allusion to Jimi Hendrix. Screenwriters Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais continue to add additional layers of 60's references and imagery. Eventually, Across the Universe itself begins to undertake the pop-culture vitality of an Andy Warhol feature or Roy Lichtenstein painting.
In a nutshell: the film's plot follows Jude who travels to America in search of his real father. After a rather anticlimactic meeting, Jude meets soon-to-be college dropout Max. Together, Max and Jude head to New York. Jude begins to fall in love with Max's sister Lucy, and Max finds himself drafted in the army. As Max fights a battle in Vietnam, Jude and Lucy fight their own battle as anti-war protests are conducted.

Across the Universe appears to owe a hefty debt to Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge! in addition to Beatles films like Help!, A Hard Day's Night, Magical Mystery Tour, Yellow Submarine and Let It Be. Director Taymor brought music producer and composer Elliot Goldenthal onto the project. Goldenthal decided not to remain faithful to the original songs, but instead to reinterpret them for the new generation (a generation which wasn't alive during the 60s). These reinterpretations frequently add another dimension and a new underlying meaning. I Want to Hold Your Hand, for instance, is sung by a young female high school student as she watches a cheerleader she has a secret same-sex crush on. Due to these changes, this song becomes a sensuous confessional rather than conveying the peppy teen angst of the original version. A lot of the songs were apparently sung live (not lip-synched), and they therefore seem far more natural. On the other hand - to paraphrase The Wanderers -"Don't fuck with the songs". It may be a laudably ambitious concept, but this doesn't necessarily mean it's a good idea.

The recreation of classic Beatles tunes is sometimes great. Joe Cocker singing Come Together, Eddie Izzard singing For the Benefit of Mr. Kite, and Bono singing I Am the Walrus are absolutely wonderful sequences. Yet, in all honesty, what is the point? Across the Universe is a succession of flashy, spectacular music videos connected by pulp. It seems the screenwriters decided which songs to use before conceiving a rubbish plot to join them. More than half the songs do nothing to advance the plot. The lyrics appear to have no meaning. What was the point of Jude singing Revolution, really? Scenes like these reek of self-indulgence. The filmmakers decidedly opted to include as many legendary Beatles songs as possible, plot be damned. The fusion of a few realistic concepts (like the Vietnam War and the rallies against it) with highly fantastical musical set-pieces is jarring, to say the least. At times the characters are also ensnared in unfortunate situations. How are these overcome? Some singing and colourful imagery. The worst offender is when abandoned by a bus. Max explains he might not be able to attend his appointment with Uncle Sam. After some singing, life is normal again and they're all home.

The characters are two-dimensional and clichéd. Zero character development transpires. It's gruelling to connect with the characters on a truly human level. Emotional investment is virtually impossible, giving a viewer no reason to care about a trouble to be overcome by the characters. The actors do place forth charismatic performances, though. Jim Sturgess is particularly watchable, although his singing voice is underwhelming. As with all the actors, Sturgess does his best with the flawed material. In supporting roles, there's a solid selection: Evan Rachel Wood, Joe Anderson, T.V. Carpio, Martin Luther and Dana Fuchs. Bono (who sang a few cover versions of Beatles songs, most notably Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds heard during the end credits) steals the show in his stylish I Am the Walrus musical sequence, Eddie Izzard is spectacular in the overlong musical set-piece of For the Benefit of Mr. Kite, and Joe Cocker deserves kudos for his singing of Come Together.

"The home of Dr. Geary, another outlaw, like myself. We're navigators, we're aviators, we're eating taters, masturbating alligators. Bombadiers, we got no fears, won't shed no tears. We're pushing the frontiers of transcendental perception. What's weird is we haven't met yet, on this or any other plane."

Perhaps Across the Universe is better regarded as an experience rather than a movie. The story itself is incidental; a threadbare excuse for Taymor to string together reconceptualised covers of her favourite Beatles songs. It's inhabited by a handful of insipid characters that are genuinely superfluous in the grand scheme of things. These irrelevant characters are given their own musical set-pieces just because Taymor et al were unable to find a way to tie all the greatest Beatles songs into Jude and Lucy's tumultuous romance. Across the Universe is a definitive case of style overstepping substance. However, the film is overflowing with imagination and bolstered by a dazzling visual style. When a film is this stylish, it's certainly difficult to brand it a total failure. It's a visually arresting film, but its stimulating use of bright colours and imagery is the only positive to unearth. After enduring 130 minutes of a single-noted string of music videos, though, it grows fairly tedious.

Across the Universe is a beautiful misfire - beautiful, yes, but still a disappointing misfire. While it's a daring experiment - unique, aesthetically alluring and distinctive - the script is unsatisfactory no matter where you turn. It tells a hopelessly clichéd love story, the narrative is unfocused and the characters are trite. Perhaps Across the Universe is simply an acquired taste. Perhaps it should just be looked upon as a succession of enthralling music videos. Perhaps it should be perceived as merely a valentine to the artistic and idealistic spirit of the 60s as symbolised by the music of The Beatles. Draw your own conclusions, as films like these are gruelling to critically analyse and opinions will be radically diverse.

"All you need is love,
All you need is love!
Love is all you need!"

6.2/10

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The Universe Across

Posted : 1 year ago on 6 November 2008 07:58 (A review of Across the Universe)

This psychedelic film is very entertaining. Thanks for the good-looking actors who star in it, except for that Prudence girl who has a face that's full of banters. Haha. Beatles songs were everywhere. Really everywhere that sometimes you don't expect that someone would be singing but still they do suddenly - that was almost lame. I love the Strawberry Fields part, though. I wish it was more psychedelic though. That '70s Show gave me more of that era's feel. :)

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Verse for Verse, unified and timeless...

Posted : 1 year, 1 month ago on 6 October 2008 07:59 (A review of Across the Universe)

''We're navigators, we're aviators, eatin' taters, masturbatin' alligators, bombardiers, we got no fears, won't shed no tears, we're pushin' the frontiers of transcendental perception.''

The music of the Beatles and the Vietnam War form the backdrop for the romance between an upper-class American girl and a poor Liverpudlian artist.

Evan Rachel Wood: Lucy

Jim Sturgess: Jude

''All you need is love,
All you need is love!
Love is all you need!''

The musical surreal wonder that is Across the Universe is truly a vision to behold. I don't think I've seen anything this artistic, visual, and musically vibrant in a long time. The Beatles songs used to knit the Movie together really give Across the Universe an edge and power that retains it's glow long after it finishes.
There's some jaw dropping sequences ranging from an underwater love scene of sorts, a stab at the army in another, and a bizarre Circus ordeal.

The imagery really does the film justice and the imagination at work here is limitless inspiration. This is a visionary piece of work which I've noticed has recieved mixed opinions on. People that didn't like it say it's musical film is hard to grasp or it's jumbled up, if the term boring old fart summarizes these people then I give it with all due respect. Across the Universe is not just a resolute tale of love but one of ideals, Wartime and its effects, friendships, sexuality, and the wonders of youth.

''Music's the only thing that makes sense anymore, man. Play it loud enough, it keeps the demons away.''

Performances really are a mixture of singing and acting, a mixture of talent and choreographed dancing and synchronized harmonic groups of extras.
Jim Sturgess and Evan Rachel Wood are simply amazing as the young lovers who become separated by the threads of fate.
Joe Anderson as Max Carrigan also does an amazing job at providing a detailed friend of Judes and a guy who has to go off to war in Vietnam.
Two really awesome people provide two of the weirdest yet funky characters within Across the Universe. The two in the light are Bono as Dr Robert & Eddie Izzard as Mr Kite. Their respective parts and scenes are surreal as well as deep coursing with subliminal messages and visual treats.

I could go on and on with characters, but will quickly mention a few others who were memorable and effective. T.V Carpio as Prudence was fascinating, as was Dana Fuchs as the singer Sadie. All the characters, not just the main two are studied and their equations, aspects and views on love are explored.

''I would lay in front of a tank if it would bring Max back and end this war.''

''Yeah, it wouldn't.''

So great music, a historical impact, and an alternative musical which results in an artistic concoction not just musically but visually.
Poor boy meets rich girl, it's an old story which never gets boring or less fascinating the more times it's done and Across the Universe even does it in a unique new way of its own.

Director Julie Taymor succeeds in making a hit from my vantage point. Also showing me that a few more female Directors may actually result in some better films being made, due to a level of detail and a different view that comes across resulting in a glorified masterpiece of sorts thats like watching a flower bloom in the first rays of dawn.

In conclusion, Across the Universe manages to capture the feel of the 1960s, succeeds in telling a love story, achieves a different mode of story telling that really should be tried and emulated more often. An artistic musical vision that I definitely will watch over and over, and a sure thing is I can be inspired by from the very word go.

''All you need is love.''

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Across the Universe

Posted : 1 year, 2 months ago on 8 September 2008 01:13 (A review of Across the Universe)

Across the Universe is a very specific kind of film: love it or hate it. I love it, flaws and all. Yes, there’s barely anything close to resembling a plot. Yes, the songs are often depicted as literal translations. But, I find the entire experience to be loads of fun and joyous. It brings a smile to my face, and leaves a song in my heart. There’s power in a cliché if it’s employed correctly and with some originality.

I must say this right here and now: I love Julie Taymor. I think she’s a complete and utter visual genius. Her stylistic choices are amazing. The “Benefit of Mr. Kite” sequence adds nothing to the plot other than telling you what happened to Prudence, but it’s stunning to behold. The puppetry, the collages and use of visual effects are great.

The cameos are always intruiging: Bono, Eddie Izzard, Joe Cocker and, my favorite, Salma Hayek (times five). And the main cast delivers on the dramatic front and on the musical. Jim Sturgess, hello cutie!, sounds like the fifth Beatle and is highly charismatic. Evan Rachel Wood trades in her normal bad-girl persona for the good-girl-radical and has a pleasantly surprising power pop-rock girl voice. And they're just the leads.

It's not perfect, but Taymor's trip-tastic love poem to the Beatles, the 60's and the bohemian/flower-power artistic scene is uplifting and wonderful. Even if it's far from perfect. I hope you'll fall in love with it as much as I did.

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Beatles anyone?

Posted : 1 year, 4 months ago on 1 July 2008 02:41 (A review of Across the Universe)

What I did know: it is a musical.
What I did not know: it is based on Beatles songs/music.

Typical love story. Nothing new here.

What saves me from giving a 1 or 2/10 rating is the singing. The performers are talented - luckily - and it somewhat makes the film bearable.
The cinematography, the directing, the costumes, the settings... Nothing is memorable.


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Across the Universe

Posted : 1 year, 6 months ago on 6 May 2008 08:20 (A review of Across the Universe)

I really enjoyed this movie and i thought it was great. If you really enjoy the Beatles then you should definitely watch this movie. All of the songs in it are from the Beatles which made it even more enjoyable.

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Not my kind of musical

Posted : 1 year, 8 months ago on 25 February 2008 12:51 (A review of Across the Universe)

I know that the Beatles are loved by many and I do like some of their music but when I heard that Across The Universe was really about telling a story using only Beatles songs I wasn't really interested.
But my sister bought the DVD and some of my friends had really liked it, I said "meh" and watched it.
Now that I've seen it, I really don't know what's so special about it.
The story isn't that interesting even if it was showing the changes that were going on around the Vietnam war which I really disagree with but that isn't important in my review.
The music was nice but again I'm not a Beatles fan so I didn't really care.
The acting was nice and it's what saved the movie for getting a 2.
What really killed the movie for me was the mid part of the movie when all the "psychedelic" imagining and really ruined the rest of the movie.
I've seen other musicals and do like some of them and proudly say that I do like them even if it me look less manly but this musical is one that I don't like and don't plan on watching ever again.

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Entertaining.

Posted : 1 year, 9 months ago on 10 February 2008 09:24 (A review of Across the Universe)

The idea behind this film is something that makes so much sense, I’m shocked it took so long for it to come about. A musical, set in a film, containing only renditions of popular Beatles music. Does it work? Well, I suppose that depends on what exactly it was that you wanted from the film. A lot of people responded negatively, attacking the weak story and method in which it was filmed. Others responded very positively, but their views of the movie may be more about The Beatles than the movie itself. Overall, I think it’s almost a guaranteed win for all Beatles and musical fans, and it’s really hit or miss for anybody else. That’s not really a fault, but it may end up hurting the film anyway.

The story behind the movie is very simple. A group of strangers meet up, become friends, and then struggle with their own relationships, as well as the war in Vietnam. The movie focuses most heavily on Jude and Lucy, what‘s important, and what life means to them.. With a cast of very individualized characters, all named to reference Beatles songs, the film really opens itself up to some very interesting variations of familiar songs, all now completely changed and personalized to the situation at hand. A sad thing, however, is that each character is very unique, but never really given a chance to fully develop. I guess character development, and a really engrossing story, is what you have to sacrifice to get a musical over two hours long, containing over thirty songs. In the end, it’s worth it if you love those songs, but I think this is where the rest of the audience may feel cheated. Not knowing the songs, or caring about their relevance, you might be left with a pretty bland film.

The music itself is, not surprising, the highlight of the movie. It’s easy to forget, and not well advertised, that it is a musical, just set to film, and the music sequences really show this off. All of them are done in a very excellent, obviously thought out manner. I Want To Hold Your Hand is now slower, sung by a young cheerleader, and as she walks through a football field, players tumble and jump behind her in slow motion. It gives it a much sadder feeling, and I think the shock of hearing the song done so differently may be enough to carry the entire sequence. Strawberry Fields Forever is an amazing montage of Vietnam battles, and Jude taking out his frustrations with art. Let It Be shows violent riots, African Americans being beaten and killed, all while a small child sings alone on the street. When the song is sad, the scenery that goes along with it is sad, and when the song is drug influenced, the sequence may dizzy you with bizarre visuals and inverted color effects. Every song was obviously handled with care, but unfortunately, it’s also apparent that they’re essentially a crutch to push the story along. If the music wasn’t The Beatles, I can’t imagine the story being interesting enough to hold up.

The acting isn’t anything remarkable, and neither is the dialogue. The movie really is a musical for Beatles fans, and it shows with constant details directly referencing Beatles pop-culture that may not be considered by someone not familiar with the band. It’s a shame that it’s not a more widely assessable film, but if you are somebody that enjoys musicals, if you can trade a rather bland story, and under-developed characters, for amazing music sequences, and plenty of your favorite Beatles songs, then give this movie a chance. Otherwise, you may want to steer clear of it, because it definitely isn’t for everybody.

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All You Need is Love

Posted : 2 years ago on 3 November 2007 08:49 (A review of Across the Universe)

OK the first guy that reviewed this movie seems to be a little on the young side for a Beatles based film. I have to admit I did live through the sixties and survive. I do remember the Vietnam War, flower children, and the saying, "Make love not war." With that said I have to admit I really loved this movie.

If you haven't heard about it, it is a love story that revolves around Beatles songs. And yes, the characters are such because there are Beatles songs with their names in them. Jude is a young man that comes to the U.S. from England and along the way falls for a young lady named Lucy. If you know the Beatles, those names will sound familiar. Prudence also has a part in the film and needs to come out and play.

The film is based on the sixties when pot was smoked freely and the Vietnam War wasn't thought of very kindly. These images are brought out in the film along with some trippy looking scenes that would probably look better if you had smoked a joint yourself.

The movie was a lot of fun to watch and to sing along with also if you remember the tunes. The movie is one that any Beatle fan would love. I wouldn't recommend this one as a family film. It will probably appeal to those that like musicals and are familiar with the Beatles music.

Flash

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A musical of Beatles musix

Posted : 2 years ago on 16 October 2007 10:06 (A review of Across the Universe)

My friends dragged me into this movie and I admit I've never been much of a Beatles fan though I find myself leaning towards becoming one in the near future because I didn't realize the songs were rather catchy.

The movie itself was an affair of you either loved it or hated it. It can come off as a pretentious art film or something of a work of art. To me it was an okay movie, the drug trips aside I didn't find it that bad but it probably will look pretty cool if you are high or something. It's one of those movies that also seems to beat you on the head with a message of some sort. (oh dear!) This of course was all lost on me during the weird possibly drug induced scenes.

Plus it seems, no, I'm pretty sure that the whole reason some characters were there so they can sing all those Beatles songs. I can't think of any other reason why the seemingly random lesbian was there unless that's how they rolled back then, which I'm inclined to believe because of all the possibly drug induced scenes. At least they got hobos singing and stuff. That's always fun. Random singing hobos.

All in all it's a pretty good fun film to laugh at but it's really not for me. Mebbe if trippy music video type stuff is your thing you might enjoy it. I often found myself laughing at loud at what seemed to be tense moments of the movie. But it's really hard not to laugh. Dehumanizing dance sequences are always the best. Especially when drugs are in the mix.

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