Spectacular! Must see!

Rating: 9/10 (8 November 2001)

Okay, this movie has a trivial plot and no realism but that's not the point because it is a SHOW. It is not even about a show, it IS one.
The beginning already shows this - the canvas becomes a curtain, with a conductor in front - you're not watching a stroy about the Moulin Rouge, you're sitting in the Moulin Rouge.
The movie is not even trying to move you to the fin the siecle, to the early 1900's, to show you an historic show. NO, it's a show of TODAY, with TODAY's songs (songs of the 60's to 90's which did not exist in 1900 when the movie "takes place").
So stop thinking. Just relax, and enjoy this extraordinary audiovisual experience. This is one of the movies that trade in realism for being an artwork, and that I like very much. The flying views of the city reminded me of "The Crow" and other comic strip movies, like "Batman" and "Dick Tracy". I love this kind of somewhat strange athomsphere.
And I loved hearing well known songs in surprising arrangements, like "Roxanne", "The Show Must Go On", even "I Was Made For Loving You" sung by this elf, Nicole Kidman, instead of these "horror-masked" bad boys of KISS.
I totally fell in love with this unique artwork, and gave it a 9/10. The missing 10th is due to I think it could have been done better, if you got the best singers/actors of the world which Kidman and McGregor are not. But without doubt they did a good job and I was surprised how well "Obi-wan Kenobi" can sing. And I pity Tom Cruise for losing this breathtaking wonderful woman, Nicole Kidman.
A must see for everyone who loves musicals, romance and bizarre, fast-paced pictures. One of the best movies in 2001.