Engrossing, energetic and flawless.

Rating: 8/10 (8 January 2008)

No matter how hard I try, there is no word to describe the uplifting, emotional and truly sensational journey that this film took me on. It's simply indescribable. From the opening scene of waves crashing on a shore mixed in with newspaper headlines, a vague trace of the film's most powerful moment where the two lovers are ripped apart by police and protest and the classic 'Helter Skelter', it is clear that Taymor is going to take us on an epic journey of revolution, charisma and entrancing sequences of Beatles brilliance. Every single scene is so vibrant, fresh and unique.
Taymor manages to keep the integrity of each work of lyrical art, while also adding her own distinctive touch of excellence to it. Each sequence is powerful, enthralling and utterly joyous. I really can't put the sensation this film gave me into words, but it's the most wonderful feeling I've ever experienced. And the most remarkable thing about it is that this feeling wasn't just during one particular moment or musical number, it hit me strong in the opening sequence and carried me on a pillow of divine euphoria unlike any experience I've ever had.
The love story that plays out over the entire film is beautiful, painful and riveting. Both of these young adults are unique and beautiful revolutionaries, but they take their protests in very different forms. Eventually this drives them apart, and in an attempt to reunite we experience the film's most brilliant but painfully heartbreaking scene. As Lucy is being pulled away by the police during an immense protest, Jude fights his way through the crowd and officers to get to her. As they reach for one another, a club hits Jude across the face and he goes down. This all plays out under the cathartic collision of 'Helter Skelter' and 'Across the Universe' while we also see Lucy's brother, the resisted soldier, quickly falling into madness under the extreme pressures of the Vietnam War and Jude's face become bloodied and beaten. It's a scene that brought tears to my eyes and streaming down my cheeks. Thinking about it brings these tears back, but makes my urge to see the film again even stronger.
The cameos should also be mentioned, as they are particularly lovely. Bono is hilarious as the drugged out, 'inspirational' Dr. Robert, but it's Eddie Izzard who steals the show. His Mr. Kite is hilarious, surreal and utterly brilliant and through him, Taymor creates a scene that will take you on an acid trip harder than anything Hunter S. Thompson experienced. Another bizarre cameo was that of Salma Hayek who had me lost for at least five minutes. I thought I was stereotyping every Latino woman into the same category of appearance, because I was sure it was Salma Hayek but was confident that she wouldn't take such a random and tiny part in the film. Of course this is when I remembered that Hayek was directed to her Oscar-nominated role in Frida by Julie Taymor and she must have asked to be in the film. Later I learned this to be true.
Of course even though the cameos are so exceptional, the main performances highlight the wonder of the film. Evan Rachel Wood and Jim Sturgess have perfect chemistry and their acting abilities are just as profound as their lyrical beauty. In fact everyone who plays a musical part really amazes me by their singing talents. Surprisingly, it's Joe Anderson who steals the show in this one. He is charismatic, gorgeous and brilliantly hilarious throughout the first half of the film and then we see the entire affect that the madness of war plays on the mind simply through his painful eyes in the second half. Since the second I first saw the trailer, I thought this was going to be the greatest experience of my life. Slowly I realized that nothing could possibly live up the expectations I had created for this epic cinematic journey. Well, I was proved wrong as Taymor easily met my expectations and more than exceeded them. This was a journey unlike any other, and created a cathartic experience far too brilliant for words. Just impeccable in every way.