Too bad...

Rating: 5/10 (8 January 2002)

I'm truly disappointed. I had been looking forward to seeing this movie for quite awhile.
Moulin Rouge! could have been a truly great movie if someone would have held Baz Luhrmann's hand and restrained him a bit. Unfortunately, the film suffered from many of the shortcomings of Romeo and Juliet, but this time they were amplified beyond all reason. Baz Luhrmann's editing, while innovative, is nothing short of self-indulgent. It takes over the film, interrupts the story, and turns the film into a mediocre overly-long music video.
I don't fault any of the performances...not even the singing. The story was actually pretty good...when it was allowed to unfold. Had the film-makers exercised some self-control in the editing room, this movie could have easily taken place inside of one hour. It also could have been a very good movie. Luhrmann is a visual genius, but he needs to be reined in a bit.