Official Synopsis:
Across The Universe from director Julie Taymor, is a revolutionary rock musical that re-imagines American in the turbulent late 1960s, a time when battle lines were being drawn at home and abroad. When young dockworker Jude (Jim Sturgess) leaves Liverpool to find his estranged father in America, he is swept up by the waves of change that are re shaping the nation. Jude falls in love with Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), a rich but sheltered American girl who joins the growing anti war movement in New York's Greenwich Village. As the body count in Vietnam rises, political tensions at home spiral out of control and the star crossed lovers find themselves in a psychedelic world gone mad. With a cameo by Bono, Across The Universe is "the kind of movie you watch again, like listening to your favorite album."(Roger Ebert,Chicago Sun Times)

  
Our Take:
Director Julie Taymor, who famously brought The Lion King to life on Broadway, has been criticized for her two feature films (Frida and Titus) being largely style over substance. Having not seen either of those films, I went into Across the Universe with no expectations, other than to see a musical based on the songs of the greatest rock and roll band ever, The Beatles.

I have to say, I can see where the criticism of style over substance comes from. Across the Universe has so many flaws, it’s hard to know where to begin. Despite all that, however, I found that a part of me kind of enjoyed the film. It’s really not so much a love-it-or-hate-it movie as it is a love-it-AND-hate-it movie. I mean, what do you do with a film that has the audacity to change the most famous bass line in the world, that of “Come Together”?

The major problem with the film is that the musical aspect is way too broad. You’re never given a chance to get to know any of the characters before they break out into song, and there are too many parts sung by non-characters. It’s done mostly to allow the song lyrics to fit the movie, but it’s function over form in that case and it doesn’t always work. Early on, we see a high school girl singing “I Want to Hold Your Hand” forlornly towards a football player. We have no idea who she is or why she’s suddenly popped up in a story that has up until now been about two completely different people. It isn’t until much later in the film that she even pops up again. The story and narrative structure could definitely be stronger.

That being said, the actors all make the most out of the small parts they have, and they do eventually become somewhat endearing. The musical numbers, which start out rather simple, become more and more ornate and visual as the film progresses through the Vietnam era. “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” is an extremely impressive visual tour de force. Some of the musical arrangements are quite fun (Bono’s take on “I Am The Walrus” is pretty rocking) but some of them just go too far; Beatles songs never need to be that drastically changed, because they’re basically perfect to begin with.

Despite a weak box-office performance, Across the Universe comes to DVD as a 2-disc special edition. Here’s what’s included as extra features:

* Extended Musical Performances.
* Deleted Scenes.
* Commentary with Director Julie Taymor and Music Producer/Composer Elliot Goldenthal.
* Five Behind The Scenes Featurettes.

I have no doubt that Across the Universe will probably annoy more Beatles fans than it wins over, and there are times when it simply tries too hard, but I think some of the criticisms about this movie are unfair. It is uneven and decidedly over-stylized, but it’s not the complete mess it’s been made out to be. I think it could have been a better film, certainly, but as a curiosity for Beatles fans, it’s not nearly as bad as you might have heard, either.

Overall Picture:
Movie: B-
DVD: C

- Mike Spring
Editor