Rocketman stars Taron Egerton as Elton John, and follows his early career and exploits as he made a meteoric rise in the music industry and quickly became a legend.
The first thing that is apparent in Rocketman is that this isn’t your typical biopic. In fact, a lot of this film plays out almost like a musical fantasy, something that I wasn’t expecting but in hindsight makes perfect sense, as it is reflective of Elton John himself, who, let’s be fair, was a colourful and crazy individual. So those of you expecting something like Bohemian Rhapsody, curb your expectations now, because this is nothing like the Queen biopic, but that’s what I enjoyed about Rocketman!
Elton John himself has said that he hasn’t lived a “PG-13 life”, which is why he was opposed to the film being made about him having that rating. Elton got his wish, and this is a film that isn’t afraid to shock and delve into the dark world of sex and drugs that became a prominent force in Elton John’s early life. This is a risqué, honest portrayal of a man who became consumed by fame and went off the rails, which makes for very interesting, sometimes unsettling viewing.
Taron Egerton is in fine form as Elton, delivering one of the best performances of his career. Not only does he capture the man himself extremely well, but he also sings all of the songs in the film and he does an incredible job. It must be quite a nerve-wracking experience having to sing the hits of one of the most famous singers on the planet, but he lives up to the challenge and I was impressed by how good a singer he was! Take a bow, Mr Egerton.
Visually, Rocketman is shot beautifully and it looks fantastic, the musical number sequences are great fun and the more trippy, fantastical moments are both pretty and intriguing to look at, it’s another insight into the crazy world of Elton, and it does a great job of expressing just how messed up he got himself in his early career.
Overall, I enjoyed Rocketman and found it to be an interesting, entertaining ride with some excellent performances and obviously, great music. I felt it dragged slightly and I don’t think I would rush to watch it again, but admittedly musical biopics/fantasies aren’t really my thing! But, I’m happy I’ve seen it. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but all things considered, I think that’s a good thing.
I would definitely recommend giving it a watch!
I give Rocketman a 7.5/10.
Wado Reviews 