"Cop rock" on acid

Rating: 9/10 (14 September 2001)

Strangely alluring cinematic eye candy.
Phenomenally well filmed, scripted acted and sung.
Mr Luhrmann adds to the style of his last outing, Romeo and Juliet - which seemed to be a "near miss" to me - by drawing on influences as far apart as Guy Ritchie, Alan Parker and F W Murnau.
A semi gothic operatic poptastic modern day contemporary masterpiece.
Nicole Kidman acts an utterly convincing courtesan without letting us forget that this is in fact a story within a film, rather than a film about a story.
Ewan McGregor keeps you from losing yourself in Ms Kidman's brilliant performance with a "no better than very good" input to the proceedings.
Vivid colours form a kaleidoscopic - almost montage like - experience. Modern songs brilliantly segue one into the next and seamlessley enter and exit the script. An aural and visual treat.
Don't miss it.