Featured Audience Ratings

• Zach B

  
  With me being something of a fan, a lover if you will, of The Beatles, this has been a film I have put off watching for quite some time. The reason was really due to reviews I had heard from other Beatles fans that felt that this film was flat, unoriginal, and butchered songs that… More
  With me being something of a fan, a lover if you will, of The Beatles, this has been a film I have put off watching for quite some time. The reason was really due to reviews I had heard from other Beatles fans that felt that this film was flat, unoriginal, and butchered songs that have changed the idea of this world. Being bored, I decided to give this film a shot and, to sum it all up, this film has a very bad reputation. I am not going to sugar coat it: this is a gorgeous film that, while it has a cliched plot, does treat the material in a fresh way, gives new life to such classic songs that we have all adored, and presents it in a rather interesting way. One thing that came to mind while watching this was the jukebox musical 'Moulin Rouge!'. In a way, both films are the same in terms of structure, how everything is set up, and the extremes it treats it's music. Only difference here is that all of the songs are by the same artist and there is a somber tone from beginning to end. Yes, the main plot and story is one we have all heard countless times (two youths from different backgrounds falling in love while fighting a cause), but then again, what do you expect? With the plot in mind, it does fit to use The Beatles as the main back drop simply because The Beatles were all about peace, love, and freedom among people in nations corrupted by hatred. The main surprise for me, while watching this film, was the interpretation of The Beatles's music and how they are presented. There is something funny about art: no two people will have the same opinion of a piece of music. To some, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony tell the story of a great war while to someone else they believe it tells of death, destruction, and hatred. Same with The Beatles. For the most part, this film did not show how I imagined the songs to represent, but that was what was so interesting about this film: you get a new perspective on almost an entire separate genre of music and, in doing so, the songs build a new meaning. Another shock was how talented and random the cast is. Among the main people we are with, my personal favorites include angelic Lucy (Evan Rachel Woods), Sadie (Dana Fuchs), and Jo-Jo (Martin Luther McCoy). The main reason is due to how they represent their songs and the power of their talent. But when you throw in random people in like Bono from U2 and Eddie Izzard (in my personal favorite scene in the entire film), what you are left with is one cast that is abnormal, odd, but so fun to watch. Rethinking about this film, this is a musical that goes perfectly with the sub-genre of musicals I have given a name to called 'The Bohemian Musical'. Basically, the plot is simple: random people meet up, they start fighting for a cause, and it ends either in tragedy or in a very bitter sweet format. Musicals that come to mind include the formally mentioned Moulin Rouge! and Rent. But with 'Across The Universe', it takes this structure in a way that is new, fresh, and beyond fun to watch. Okay, to get this out of the way: this is a Beatles musical that is perfect for those that want to know about why The Beatles were so good, the impact it has left, and a sample of the timelessness of the music that was made over the period of eight years by four young men from Liverpool. Now, as a Beatles fan, I adore this film. As a film fan, this is a flawed film at times. But, the flaws this film does have (like the slow pacing, kind of wooden characters, cliches) can be excused by how gorgeous this film is.

• Sophie B

  
  Pretty much the only thing I loved about this was the music and a couple of the dance scenes. Evan Rachel Wood and Joe Anderson gave good performances, and it does give off some important messages about world peace and war however I just felt it was a waste of time. The whole way… More
  Pretty much the only thing I loved about this was the music and a couple of the dance scenes. Evan Rachel Wood and Joe Anderson gave good performances, and it does give off some important messages about world peace and war however I just felt it was a waste of time. The whole way through I was thinking 'why?'. It didn't really affect me too much and whilst the ending was good and unconventional, it dragged on too long and left me feeling like I'd wasted my time. Only for Beatles fans I think!

• Alexander D

  
  Dreadfully misunderstood romantic musical is half love story, half psychedelic acid trip, all brought to you singularly by the Beatles. Set in the 1960s against anti-war protest, in England, Vietnam, and the United States, it tells of six friends: Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), her lover… More
  Dreadfully misunderstood romantic musical is half love story, half psychedelic acid trip, all brought to you singularly by the Beatles. Set in the 1960s against anti-war protest, in England, Vietnam, and the United States, it tells of six friends: Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), her lover Jude (Jim Sturgess), her brother Maxwell (Joe Anderson), rock singer Sadie (Dana Fuchs), her guitarist Jo-Jo (Martin Luther McCoy), and their shy friend Prudence (T.V. Carpio). As a lifelong Beatles fan, I more than enjoyed seeing every major character in this film (without forgetting the foul-mouthed Doctor Robert or the odd Mr. Kite) taking his or her name from a character in a song by the Fab Four. Furthermore, the soundtrack was phenomenally covered, for the most part. Even Bono from U2 makes an extended cameo appearance as a drugged-up, Ozzy-esque portrait of Doctor Robert, with a stellar delivery of "I Am the Walrus". The only two disappointments as far as the music goes were Sturgess's croaking performance of "Revolution" and Eddie Izzard's disturbing twist on "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite". The musical numbers, as well, were utterly fantastic. Many of them use the motion-capture animation used in films such as BEOWULF and THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, to create the interchanging impressions of experiencing a dream or a drug trip; combined with blurred, illusional visionaries of nude swimming (a la the scenes from Tim Burton's BIG FISH), the effect is odd but fantastical. By far the most unpredictable number is "I Want You (She's So Heavy)", which according to this film means "Uncle Sam Wants You (Lady Liberty's So Heavy)". Whether you are a Beatles fan or not, ACROSS THE UNIVERSE should be easily entertaining. One which is barely familiar with the music of the Beatles will most likely enjoy this music for what it ultimately is. The songs, even for a Beatles fan, are often hard to recognize, though lovable, because the singers twist them into something of their own work, while in turn keeping the Beatles original tone, whether somber or exubriant. Main points go to this film for its unusual ability to alter classic rock music into seemingly original modern rock; I hope this becomes a Broadway show in the near future, in which case I will make every effort to see it. Full Review Coming Soon

• Chris W

  
  Amazing film. Just the whole concept of crafting a film based around the songs of The Beatles, and having characters named after characters from their songs seems really cool and unique to me. There's shades of autobiographical stuff in here, but it's mostly about capturing… More
  Amazing film. Just the whole concept of crafting a film based around the songs of The Beatles, and having characters named after characters from their songs seems really cool and unique to me. There's shades of autobiographical stuff in here, but it's mostly about capturing the 60s through the music of that decade's (probably) most representative band. Essentialyl it's the story of a Brit named Jude who comes to the States, becoems friends with a guy named Max, and falls in love with his suster, all the while experienceing many of the highs and lows that went on such as VIetnam, war protests, the counterculture, and what not. Ordinarily the story wouldn't be that impressive, as a musical or not, but the way this film is done, mostly thanks to Julie Taymor's brilliant visionary directing (some incredible artsy sequences) and some great renditions of classic Beatles tunes (complete with many injokes and references throughout in general) make this truly something special. You don't HAVE to be a Beatles fan to enjoy this, but it would certainly help. As long as you can appreciate the music and the time period, and don't mind lots of musical numbers (some of them very trippy and surreal), you should be fine.

• Idrees K

  
  Good acting and an interesting concept, but the plot was dreadful, drawn out and I just plain found myself bored.

• Drake T

  
  A musically and visually enticing experience, ATU is a simple classical romance of two young lovers set in the 1960's told through a mosaic of beautifully choreographed performances. If you don't appreciate the music and art, then you're watching the wrong film.

• Conner R

  
  It's got to be my favorite "musical" out there. Thankfully it doesn't have the corny aftertaste of most like it, but this pays as much attention to its visuals as it does its music. It's one thing to hear a song, but when you can truly see it come to life,… More
  It's got to be my favorite "musical" out there. Thankfully it doesn't have the corny aftertaste of most like it, but this pays as much attention to its visuals as it does its music. It's one thing to hear a song, but when you can truly see it come to life, that's something else. What's kind've crazy about the movie is that I definitely prefer a lot of the cover songs to their original counterparts. Julie Taymor's vision is unmatched when it comes to this type of movie, Baz Luhrmann pales in comparison. This is maybe one of the few musicals that happens to highly benefit from being movie rather than a stage production. The performances from Jim Sturgess and Evan Rachel Wood are incredibly genuine and realistic, which is really what you need when you're dealing with characters that break into song every ten minutes.

• Matt G

  
  It was okay. The songs were great! A little long though... Had me entertained throughout though. Grade: B-

• Jennifer D

  
  Incredibly colorful and creative!! I mean I couldn't make an entire movie out of songs written years before the movie. But the idea is revolutionary. And the colors and remakes of the songs are incredible. AC rating: Commentary was with the director and composer and it's… More
  Incredibly colorful and creative!! I mean I couldn't make an entire movie out of songs written years before the movie. But the idea is revolutionary. And the colors and remakes of the songs are incredible. AC rating: Commentary was with the director and composer and it's amazing to see how the film came from concept to execution especially with basically a bunch of no name actors. Loved it.

• Ross C

  
  High School Musical for adults.

• Richard C

  
  mostly a good movie but some stupid parts and I like most of the songs but I hated the mr. kite song. B

• Emil K

  
  One of the greatest musical adventures ever made. Director Julie Taymor has always been a visionary genius, but here she surpasses herself and creates a world completely of her own. Across the Universe is for sure a one hell of a journey to take, but if you are willing to jump in… More
  One of the greatest musical adventures ever made. Director Julie Taymor has always been a visionary genius, but here she surpasses herself and creates a world completely of her own. Across the Universe is for sure a one hell of a journey to take, but if you are willing to jump in it's surreal and acid-filled world, then you are in for a once in a lifetime experience. It marries Beatles music with 60's hippie-culture and anti-Vietnam message mixing it all with outstanding dancing and singing. End result is something i bet you have never seen before. There are so many great performances including Joe Anderson, Jim Sturgess, Dana Fuchs and Evan Rachel Wood, who all give their best as a actors and as a singers. Dana Fuchs is actually in my opinion a Janis Joplis for this century. Her voice has that same raw edginess that Joplin had and her version of Helter Skelter is hands down masterpiece. Across the Universe is all about love and it's power to conquer hate. Some may say it is all just peace, love and harmony, but when film is this good and well made, you are willing to buy it's postive message towards love and life itself. With this film director Julie Taymor confirms her position as a one of the most innovative directors alive. She has that very own voice as a director and i just adore her way to mix animation and those trippy visuals in to her films. You can see that she has a unique language as a director. Many of her collagues can only wish that they had as much creativity and imagination that Taymor has. Believe me, you must step in to see this one and let it take you a journey across the universe. It may be messy and unfocused at times, but that is all nearly forgiven for it's creativity.

• Greg S

  
  A romance between a Liverpudlian and a New England WASP during the tumultuous 1960s is illustrated using 30 Beatles songs. Creates a surprisingly coherent story considering the fact that the plot had to be constructed around the songs rather than the other way around; the vocal… More
  A romance between a Liverpudlian and a New England WASP during the tumultuous 1960s is illustrated using 30 Beatles songs. Creates a surprisingly coherent story considering the fact that the plot had to be constructed around the songs rather than the other way around; the vocal performers are pretty good, and several of the production numbers are knockouts ("Come Together," with an appearance by Joe Cocker, is a favorite).

• Jonathan H

  
  Across The Universe is a prime example of style over substance -- of ambition over execution. As a conceptual experiment, Julie Taymor's Beatles musical is undoubtedly fascinating. Unfortunately, it was a huge letdown. The plot is clichéd and razor thin (it's difficult to… More
  Across The Universe is a prime example of style over substance -- of ambition over execution. As a conceptual experiment, Julie Taymor's Beatles musical is undoubtedly fascinating. Unfortunately, it was a huge letdown. The plot is clichéd and razor thin (it's difficult to care for any of the characters, especially the nominal Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix avatars played by Dana Fuchs and Martin Luther McCoy, respectively); the dialogue is horrid, which led to poor performances, and the nonsensical, showy visuals were dumbfounding and did nothing to push the narrative along (one character, named "Prudence," enters a scene through a bathroom window! Get it!?!). Indeed the dramatic content of Across The Universe is close to nill. It's all just an excuse to stretch out a canvas to spill visual techniques upon. The biggest atrocity, however, is the heavy-handed, surface portrayal of the 60s. I understand that it's a challenge to capture the enormity of 60s politics. History is complicated. It takes intellectual courage and moral honesty to get into it. But this film is a dreadful toe-tapping into the pool of the past, such a crass commercial appropriation of complex struggle -- as if the 60s, and the Beatles for that matter, were not commodified enough. It's just so cheap. No complexity, no challenge, just pure spectacle. But that doesn't stop the movie from piling it on, trying to address selling out, resisting the draft, fighting the man, running away from home, and every other development that merited a Life magazine cover between 1963 and 1970. With no narrative substance to be found, the film comes off as not as much a "movie" as an eye-candy spectacular in the vein of Cirque de Soleil. In the end, Across The Universe is hobbled by its vaguely insulting comic-book version of the 60s and by a humorlessness that can only come from talented people convinced they're creating work for the ages. I'm sad to report that they haven't.

• Cassie H

  
  Love this movie!!! Jim Sturgess is so cute and has a wonderful voice, as does Evan Rachel Wood. Just a great movie. :)

• Nani V

  
  I have to admit, after watching it again for the second time I enjoyed it much more. The film itself takes you onto this beautiful journey, literally. The singing worked well; it wasn't too much to where you got sick and tired of it. There were many interesting characters in it… More
  I have to admit, after watching it again for the second time I enjoyed it much more. The film itself takes you onto this beautiful journey, literally. The singing worked well; it wasn't too much to where you got sick and tired of it. There were many interesting characters in it as well. Definitely worth a watch!! I'm adding this to my favorites list.

• Red L

  
  I am totally impressed with the way the movie was written to use so many Beatles songs in its plot. I grew up with the Beatles, and can sing along with many of the songs, so I quite enjoyed this movie. I've seen it three times now.

• Daniel P

  
  This is a hard 3.5, and I think it all comes down to Eddie Izzard's terrible "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite". Without that brutal number (and Bono's odd-ball lead-up to it), this would likely be at least a four-star film, but it was just a little too ambitious.… More
  This is a hard 3.5, and I think it all comes down to Eddie Izzard's terrible "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite". Without that brutal number (and Bono's odd-ball lead-up to it), this would likely be at least a four-star film, but it was just a little too ambitious. Wow, that first paragraph made it sound like I didn't like this movie. Not the case. I liked it a lot, and its interpretation of so many Beatles songs to tell a simple love-in-the-time-of-Vietnam story is an amazing feat in and of itself. Though it fell when it tried to do too much, it soared in other places when the music matched the moment. Jim Sturgess is an excellent up-and-coming talent (and Evan Rachel Wood holds her own) in this highly enjoyable and by times riveting musical drama. The shots are inventive and the textbook story is better for it. A very good film that was almost great.

• Devon B

  
  Across the Universe is juvenile, slavish to it's concept (to the point of being silly), and (thoroughly) poorly acted. As far as musicals go, it's fairly average, but I don't think they're doing the Beatles any favors here. About halfway through, the plot loses… More
  Across the Universe is juvenile, slavish to it's concept (to the point of being silly), and (thoroughly) poorly acted. As far as musicals go, it's fairly average, but I don't think they're doing the Beatles any favors here. About halfway through, the plot loses any cohesiveness it may of had, and starts incorporating nonsense to fit in songs ("Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite") that logically wouldn't work in a storyline of any sort. Joe Anderson portrays Max as if he were a hammy Brando understudy, sometimes to embarrassing effect. Trying to form a cohesive storyline using only Beatles songs is a daunting task, and maybe it would've been better not to have bothered.

• paul s

  
  Backwards engineering a movie using the thick Beatles songbook as a reference is a novel undertaking; at times it works very well here, but at others the strain is transparant. For the first 15-20 minutes I was completely underwhelmed - classic songs sung by neophytes with… More
  Backwards engineering a movie using the thick Beatles songbook as a reference is a novel undertaking; at times it works very well here, but at others the strain is transparant. For the first 15-20 minutes I was completely underwhelmed - classic songs sung by neophytes with questionable resources (Prudences "I Want To Hold Your Hand" was almost painful to watch - and her charactor the most superflous - as if she was simply there to introduce songs that wouldn't have made the list otherwise, or as a little wink wink - fer example: "how did she get in here?".... she came in through, well, you know the rest.) But I have to admit that after the first 20 minutes I was entertained - it was like watching a very strange music video, complete with cameos by Joe Cocker, Bono, and Eddie Izzard (masterfully funny as Mr. Kite). However, even during the last half of the film, there were segments that went on too long - although the interplay between JoJo and Sadie were magical, as was JoJo's rendition of While My Guitar. Many an inspired moment, but ultimately dragged down by its own format; the truly great moments raise this to a 7, otherwise it could easily float as a 5, as it lacked continuity in places and had the aforementioned superflous charactors (while others were left underexplored).

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