Elvis Film Review (No Spoilers)

'Elvis' Warner Bros. Pictures

After 9 years since his last feature film with The Great Gatsby, Baz Luhrmann (The Great Gatsby, Moulin Rouge!, Australia) returns with his most marketable project yet. There have been few people who have been publicized and showcased more since we got our first look at Elvis than the man who portrays the entertainment icon, Austin Butler (Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, The Dead Don't Die, The Carrie Diaries). Known as one of the most polarizing directors, Luhrmann lives up to that reputation with this flashy portrayal of the King of Rock and Roll.

Synopsis:

"From his rise to fame to his unprecedented superstardom, rock 'n' roll icon Elvis Presley maintains a complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker, over the course of 20 years. Central to Presley's journey and happiness is one of the most influential people in his life -- Priscilla."

What You See, Feel, and Hear

The visuals are captivating from the moment the film begins, but not in the way that I thought they would be. With animated visuals mixed in with live-action footage there's an engaging energy that propels you through the story without a steady build-up of an introduction. The contrast from Presley's childhood to his adult life are shown in the color saturation; his early life depicting a more generalized, soft, dull tone while his rise to stardom is depicted with bright lights, bold colors, and fast paced surroundings.

The story had an interesting direction. For the first 30% - 40% of the film, viewers were introduced to many aspects that made Elvis the type of person he was, while the remaining 60% - 70% felt like a repetition of the problems he faced and the escape route he never took. To build up energy and pace the way this film did to instantaneously turn dry and long winded was a bit unexpected. The direction of the story seemed fit for a documentary on the life of Elvis rather than a Hollywood adaptation.

The acting performances from Austin Butler and Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, Cast Away) are transformative. The amount of energy and dedication from Butler in portraying Presley through the intimate moments of his life by expressing difficult emotions to the peak of his flashy performances with nearly impossible body movements were beyond expectations. Tom Hanks, prosthetics and all, provided a performance unlike anything we've seen from him in years. With a Dutch dialect and a constant limp, Hanks showcased a performance worthy of yet again, another Oscar nomination.

My Take

I do my best to have neutral expectations heading into a film regardless of the scale of the project. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case with Elvis. I went into this film with high expectations for many reasons. This was Luhrmann's first feature film in 9 years which allowed me to assume that the overall detail of this film would be unlike many others, and in some ways such as the cinematography, production design, costume design, and acting performances that was absolutely correct. In other areas, mainly with the screenplay, that wasn't the case. The first part of the film was enjoyable, immersive with curiosity, and LIVELY. The latter half of the film seemed to showcase the exact same story with different environments in different timeframes on repeat and that took away my appetite for the rest of the film. The acting performances were some of the best I've seen in 2022 which ultimately kept the film afloat while the story lost its buzz. I'm happy I had the chance to see this film yet unsatisfied with the way the story unfolded.

Grade: 7.2/10