Elvis movie review: Austin Butler and Tom Hanks blow the roof off in a fitting tribute to the greatest showman ever

 Elvis traces the journey of the eponymous 'King of Rock and Roll' from his impoverished beginnings to being arguably the most famous man on the planet to his heartbreaking lows and the man responsible for both making and breaking him

Movie: Elvis

Elvis Cast: Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Helen Thomson, Richard Roxburgh, Olivia DeJonge

Elvis Director: Baz Luhrmann

Where to Watch: In Theatres

Review by: Russel D'Silva

Weaving a biopic is always a difficult task, given the delicate line one has to toe between fact, representing fact with interest and resisting temptation to distort some facts for building more interest. The task becomes all the more difficult when you make a biopic on an extremely famous person, perpetually battling the urge to turn it into a hagiography. And if you're making a movie on Elvis Presley, then all those aforementioned points are extrapolated manifold. Thankfully, Director Baz Luhrmann not only avoids every single trap, but also ensure Elvis is one of the most rousing and fitting biopics could've hoped for, of course aided by two brilliant performances from Austin Butler and Tom Hanks.

So, are you excited about what to watch this weekend or what to watch this week and wondering whether Vikram is worth your time? Scroll down for my full Elvis movie review...

What's it about

Elvis traces the journey of the eponymous 'King of Rock and Roll' from his impoverished beginnings in an African American neighbourhood to the summits of being arguably the most famous man on the planet to his heartbreaking lows and the man responsible for both making and breaking him.

Watch the Elvis trailer below:

What's hot

The best part about Elvis is how Director Baz Luhrmann gives you everything you think you know and love about the legend, plus so much more that makes you sit up and realise that there's so little you knew both about his life and music. You revel in each and every performances, getting all shook up, while also become completely absorbed with all that went on in the background. Of course, none of it would've been possible without Austin Butler putting in a career-defining, star-making turn, completely metamorphosing into 'The King', and Tom Hanks, who delivers yet another Oscar-winning act as his parisitc manager, Colonel Tom Parker. No prizes for guessing that the production values are top notch in a Luhrmann film as is the editing (Matt Villa and Jonathan Redmond) and camerawork (Mandy Walker).

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What's not

While the entire movie carries Baz Luhrmann's signature spectacle and style, perfect for an Elvis Presley biopic, the first half lacks a bit of substance (fortunately rectified in the second half) – the entire episode where the conservatives and right wing politicians turn against Elvis and try to shackle his style is explored too quickly. Additionally, his final days also feel rushed and a tad abrupt toward the end (a goosebumps-inducing moment from one of his final stage performance redeems the finale though).

BL Verdict

In fitting fashion, Baz Luhrmann turns the biopic into one grand Elvis concert after another where you almost feel the theatre transforming into his famous stage shows and you get the feeling that you're in the presence of the one and only, 'King of Rock and Roll', made all the more believable by a star-making turn from Austin Butler and yet another Oscar-worthy act from Tom Hanks. At some portions in the fist half, spectacle and style substitute substance, but it all comes together beautifully later on where you. I'm going with 4 out of 5 stars.