Rocketman Review

Rating: 8/10 (12 June 2019)

This is a great movie. Rocketman is everything Bohemian Rhapsody should have been. Here are the very few negatives to this film. Some of the family drama does feel kinda forced. It doesn't take a lot away from the experience but it does feel odd. Some elements of the film are not entirely accurate. One such thing would be that the "John" in Elton John's name did not come from John Lennon. Rocketman had very few inaccuracies unlike Bohemian Rhapsody where they changed parts of Freddie Mercury's life to fit a story. The film does start to hit the same beats as every other musical biopic out there. Here are the positives. The acting is phenomenal. Taron Egerton does an outstanding job as Elton John. He embodies so much emotion into his performance and he is an outstanding singer. I am confident in thinking that Egerton's performance could be a possible Oscar nomination. Jamie Bell and Bryce Dallas Howard both do an outstanding job as the people who Elton cares about. Richard Madden does a great job as a manager and also the "villain" of the story. Even the child actors who portrayed a young Elton John do a great job. The musical numbers in this film are amazing. Each musical number has its own visual flare. They keep your interest and get the other characters and surrounding extras involved. Unlike Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman's musical scenes are intriguing. Costume Design and Set Design are also really good in this film. The costumes look almost exactly like the actual costumes Elton John wore. The sets just look amazing. The tone for the film remains consistent and the film is paced really well also. The narrative for this film is great. The film focuses on Elton's John musical skills, alcoholism, and drug abuse. Bohemian Rhapsody barely focuses on the effects of Mercury's drug abuse while Rocketman shows the effects of what happens with these substances. The film's structure is great. The story is told from Elton John while he is therapy and ends with him overcoming his problems.. While I do thoroughly like Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman is 100% the superior film. Overall, Rocketman provides amazing performances, outstanding musical numbers, and great costume design. I give Rocketman a 9/10.