The Rise and Fall of The King: Elvis (2022) - Reviewed

 
Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge, Australia, The Great Gatsby) returns to cineplexes with his spectacular telling of Elvis Presley's rise to stardom and untimely death. 

Through his typically hyper edited visual style, this latest movie about The King's life is a quickly paced visual and auditory spectacle that sees Luhrmann working in a more tamed space that allows him to deliver a character driven narrative which rests firmly on Tom Hanks as the Colonel and relative newcomer Austin Butler as Elvis. Both actors bring two of the best performances of 2022 in what is easily one of the greatest fictionalized biopics of the last several years. Setting itself apart from movies like Ray or Walk The Line, Elvis doesn't follow a straight story structure, but is instead a much more artful and surreal spin on his life. 

Audiences are taken through a whirlwind journey that mainly tracks Elvis's personal struggles, his demons, and his troubled partnership with the Colonel. It also digs into his relationships with his parents, his marriage to Priscilla and their daughter Lisa Marie. Yet, the biggest positive of the film are the recreations of live concert footage. Butler doesn't really look much like Elvis until the musical performances take place. You can slowly watch his transformation as he becomes more comfortable in the role. At times, he's a haunting mirror image of the singer and captures his mannerisms, expressions, and vocal inflections perfectly. When we finally get to the Vegas years, Butler is in full swing as the biggest selling solo artist of all time and embodies Presley during his later years. He's got the Elvis swagger down pat and does an amazing job capturing the live spirit of the man and the legend, on stage and off. 




Breaking away from his dedicated musicals, Luhrmann tells the story of Presley from his humble beginnings to his early grave through the eyes and voice of Colonel Tom Parker, played by Hanks under heavy prosthetics and makeup. This tale has been told multiple times in other movies including the 1993 televised film, Elvis and the Colonel. But this one doesn't rely on standard tropes or the constraints of a formulaic script. Elvis bears all the markers of Luhrmann's grandiose film making style as he brings the man and the myth back to life on screen. 

Luhrmann and crew found a way to tell this story through what can only be described as delicious eye candy. Elvis (2022) is wonderful to look at and is an all out assault on the senses that's a complete change from how most directors attack the biopic genre. Elvis is a sweet surprise during the summer season that's typically relegated to comic book movies and action blockbusters. This is a unique motion picture that should be experienced in a cinema with proper sound and presentation. Elvis is big, bold, and a must see for fans and non-fans alike.  

-CG