Rocketman ★★★★

WHO would have thought there was room in the cinema for back-to-back rock star biopics.

In 2018/19 there certainly has been with Bohemian Rhapsody and now Rocketman charming audiences.

while they both display similar energy and exuberance and feature outstanding lead performances, they are very different films in approach and themes.

Bohemian Rhapsody focused on the period of years when Queen frontman Freddie Mercury was struggling, the band formed, broke up and reformed for one last historic gig at the Live Aid event.

it was a celebration of the band’s power and enduring legacy as much as Freddie’s mercurial presence.

What it didn‘t do, and was criticised for it, was delve beneath the surface of Freddie’s personal life and renowned sexuality.

We can speculate if Freddie was still alive what sort of film he would have preferred.

On the other hand, Elton John is not only still well and truly with us, he is one of the nine credited producers of Rocketman. As you would expect, Elton was happy to tell his life story warts and all.

Rocketman is the marginally better film for this decision, combining the best moments of Bohemian Rhapsody with more emotional depth.

It’s also interesting to compare the stylistic approach taken by both films because they kind of have the same director.

You see Rocketman was directed by Dexter Fletcher who 2as also brought in to finish Bohemian Rhapsody after original director Bryan Singer was sacked.

We can assume the changeover occurred at a fairly late stage of filming because Bohemian Rhapsody follows a standard narrative approach whereas Rocketman is more of a filmed musical.

The Elton story is more akin to the film that originally brought Fletcher to the attention, Billy Elliott in 2000. That film went on to have a successful run a story a stage musical and there is little doubt Rocketman will do the same.

With its non-linear approach, fantasy sequences and impromptu musical numbers, it is ready made for Broadway.

Remi Malek won this year’s Best Actor Oscar for his fantastic performance as Mercury but unfortunately it would be rare for lightning to strike twice.

That would be very, very frightening for the Academy (sorry about that…couldn’t resist).

Taron Egerton is even better as Elton, mainly due to the fact the script demands he go to darker, emotional places as well as deliver the big performance numbers.

It also definitely helps that Egerton is a trained singer which shows in some brilliant renditions.

Rocketman is a triumph because not only does it showcase Egerton’s towering performance, it also gives us a range of other stand-out supporting roles.

Jamie Bell, another wonderfully versatile, young British actor, plays Elton’s life-long creative partner Bernie Taupin who wrote the lyrics to all his greatest hits and has been there throughout the journey.

Richard Madden is Jon Reid, Elton’s first male love who also caused upheaval in the singer’s business career.

I also enjoyed the performances of a barely recognisable Bryce Dallas Howard as Elton’s mother Sheila and Stephen Graham who steals every scene he is in a story Elton’s first record company executive.

Rocketman features some tremulous extended musical sequences that not only entertain but also progress the story in creative ways.

At the same time we get a true sense of the man himself through the device of telling the story in extended flashbacks.

The picture of Elton in rehab sessions dressed as a flamboyant devil clad in an orange jumpsuit is a perfect .representation of the man and film.

If you like musicals and Elton’s music in particular, you might just fine yourself in cinema heaven.