Elton John. A legend. An icon.
Many of us know his songs. Personally, I only know few of his hits and none about his life. I am not proud of that as a pop culture enthusiast. But hey, it could be the generation gap that’s at play. That is a good thing because I saw Rocketman with a clean slate. United International Pictures invited me to the exclusive press screening last June 10 at their private theatre to see the Elton John biopic. I must admit, it took me by surprise how great the film is! Bingers, here’s our review of the movie!
Talent is in his blood. Since he was a kid, Elton Hercules John has shown potentials as a musical genius. From his humble beginnings as a budding music student to playing in bars to playing to a worldwide audience- Rocketman explored every bit of his musical journey. And in this journey, we were taken for a blast! While it is not fair, comparisons to Queen’s biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody are unavoidable. I will dare say it now: Rocketman was a greater success in terms of narrative and entertainment than Bohemian Rhapsody. This, however, is not me saying that the latter is a bad film.
Rocketman embodies the characteristics of the artist it took inspiration from. Elton John is iconic for his flamboyant costumes and extravagant performances and the film is similar in every aspect! While it is not entirely musical, the music sequences were pumping and full of energy! Despite the glitz and glamour of the film, the story also knows when to tone things down.
The most exciting part about the movie was the way it handled the queerness of Elton John. The story of his coming out and eventual acceptance of his sexual identity played out beautifully at its own pace. It shone the spotlight on the highs of his life and even moreso on the dark aspects of it. If anything else, it portrayed him as a real human. But if we are going to be honest, huge chunk of this film’s success is due to Taron Egerton’s chillingly-brilliant portrayal of the icon!
Taron Egerton of the Kingsman movies stars as Sir Elton John. On a surprising turn of events (well at least for me), he also did the vocals for the movie and the soundtrack! I must say that he is a REVELATION. If anything else, this could be his most distinguished role yet! His acting ranged from subdued to over the top and is a great way to introduce Elton John to those who are unfamiliar with him like I am.
Rocketman takes off to great heights! It is colorful. It is emotional. And it is a full entertainment! Let Elton John’s music take you to a colorful journey that is his life through this film!
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Cast: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Richard Madden
Binge-level: 5 out of 5 stars
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