Visually dazzling

Rating: 7/10 (4 September 2005)

"Moulin Rouge!" created so much hype in 2001 I'm still surprised I never got around to seeing it. Although Nicole Kidman was already famous, this was one of her first major successes after her split from hubbie Tom Cruise - the fact that it became such a global phenomenon only sparked more tabloid crap - "Kidman Bigger Than Cruise" and the likes. This only fueled the popularity of the movie and it became something of a cultural sensation. You couldn't go anywhere without hearing about it.
Four years later and the noise has settled. I finally got around to watching the movie on television and left my expectations at the door. As such, I was pleasantly surprised by just how fun the movie actually is - visually it's a feast for the eyes, packed with dazzling extravagance. Director Baz Luhrmann ("Romeo + Juliet") expands upon his directorial flair and theatrics - this comes across as somewhat of a sequel to his Shakespeare remake. (Indeed, the modern soundtrack compliments it nicely.) The story is kind of nostalgic - a worker at France's "Moulin Rouge", played by Nicole Kidman, falls in love with a poet (Ewan McGregor). They are not allowed to be together but they cannot resist their feelings for each other.
"Moulin Rouge" isn't a perfect film but the plot is fairly interesting, the characters are likable, the songs are wonderful and visually it's on the scale of a Gilliam film - magical and huge.
I would never say it's a "great" movie but I would recommend it.