Review of Across the Universe (2007) by Andrew M — 11 Jan 2017

It's a bit disappointing that the most revolutionary rock band in history is only capable of producing, at least in the hands of Julie Taymor, a jukebox musical that feels anything but. There is plenty to like here, of course: Evan Rachel Wood and Jim Sturgess are both charming and work together well for the romance their characters share, and Taymor at least has a nice eye for visuals, crafting a style that really harkens back to The Beatles' psychedelic Magical Mystery Tour days.

Lots of the song renditions, many of which opt for different tones than the original tracks, are impressively choreographed and sung (With a Little Help From My Friends gets a rousing college dorm based performance); conversely, some renditions just feel flat in comparison (a football themed rendition of I Wanna Hold Your Hand is dull and lacks the pop charm of the original song).

Between this lack of consistency and the meandering plot that has perhaps one too many subplots, the film sometimes feels a lot longer than it is, and at a 130 minute runtime, that's sometimes problematic.

Any fan of The Beatles, new or old, will surely find something to admire with this look back at their lasting impact and discography, but there are just too many little hiccups to make this completely accessible and completely enjoyable for anyone other than die hard fans.