Flashy, but ultimately lacking heart

Rating: 4/10 (22 May 2001)

Moulin Rouge is VERY obviously a Baz Luhrmann film. With all the trademarks of his previous ventures it begins with the promise of greatness. Unfortunately there is something lacking and I can only surmise that it is heart. There are some fantastic moments in this film and the actors are all perfectly cast and beautifully portrayed, however, in hind-sight there is nothing new in the movie which would warrant a return viewing. I also thought there were a few opportunities missed, which may have made the film more enjoyable, albeit more predictable. Moulin Rouge was an interesting attempt from a director who has so much more to offer. Maybe a smaller budget and less hype will allow him to experiment once again and hopefully next time hit the mark. See it once, but I doubt you will see it again.