Elvis sees a legendary life all shook up
Baz Luhrmann’s ELVIS is a dazzling, rhinestone-studded cinematic spectacle that takes audiences on a wild ride through the life of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Much like Presley’s own career, though, the film is a rollercoaster of highs and lows, glittering successes, and baffling missteps.
The film chronicles the rise and fall of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler), from his humble beginnings in Tupelo, Mississippi, to his meteoric rise to stardom and his complex relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). Narrated by Parker, the film offers a unique, if somewhat skewed, perspective on the King’s journey through fame, excess, and eventual decline.
Austin Butler’s star-making turn as Presley is undeniably the film’s crowning achievement. Butler channels the essence of Elvis, capturing his charisma, energy, and vulnerability. His performance is a tour de force, embodying the pure essence of the King without descending into mere impersonation. Butler’s portrayal brings a sense of authenticity to a film that often veers into the fantastical as Luhrmann’s trademark directorial flourishes ensure the film is visually spectacular, blending old-school Hollywood glamour with modern cinematic techniques. The musical sequences burst with energy, capturing the raw power of Presley’s performances and going some way to explaining the artist’s mass appeal to an audience separated from events by nearly seven decades.
However, not all that glitters is gold and Tom Hanks’ portrayal of Colonel Tom Parker is a significant misstep. Laden with heavy prosthetics and an awkward accent, Hanks’ performance feels more like a caricature than a nuanced portrayal, eroding the film’s emotional impact. Parker’s depiction as a cartoonishly evil figure undermines feels out of step with what Butler is trying to do, disrupting the story’s nuanced balance and making it harder to connect with the narrative on a deeper level.
Luhrmann’s trademark maximalism is both a strength and a weakness. The film’s frenetic pacing and overstuffed narrative leave little room for deeper exploration of Presley’s personal struggles and relationships. Important aspects of Elvis’ life, such as his relationship with his mother and the darker sides of his fame, are glossed over or handled superficially, making it feel more like a series of dazzling set pieces than a cohesive story and whether you’re a die-hard fan or just casually acquainted with the works of Mr Presley, you’re unlikely to come out of the movie with any greater understanding of the man, his life and music than you had when you went in.
While it shares the same sense of kinetic energy and opulent style as MOULIN ROUGE, ELVIS lacks the emotional depth and character development that gilded THE GREAT GATSBY. It’s undeniably entertaining, but it often feels like style over substance, a rhinestone-studded spectacle that dazzles but doesn’t fully satisfy.
While it makes a sincere effort to capture the truth of its titular character, it flirts at times with hagiography, avoiding some of the more lurid aspects of Presley’s later life, preferring to focus instead on his music and his influence on American culture. At its core, ELVIS is a film that, much like its subject, is larger than life, full of contradictions and occasionally bizarre choices and deep fried peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwiches. It’s a riotous, dazzling experience that celebrates the King’s legacy with all the subtlety of a neon-drenched Las Vegas marquee while also critiquing the forces that drove and ultimately exploited him.
