It's easy to draw conclusions about Moulin Rouge at first glance: It pops with visual effects, boasts a catchy chart-topping song, and stars redheaded boxoffice bombshell Nicole Kidman. For all of these reasons and more, let Moulin Rouge surprise you - there's much more to this one than a catchy Top 40 hit and 80 camera angles of Nicole Kidman's thighs.

Set in turn-of-the-twentieth-century Paris, Moulin Rouge tells the story of a young writer named Christian (Ewan McGregor) yearning to write about love. He quickly gets sucked into the production of a stage show starring a courtesan named Satine (Nicole Kidman) and a cast of bohemian actors that are as meddlesome as they are delightful. Christian's quest to earn Satine's love pits him squarely against a Duke seeking the same, only Christian wields poetry where the Duke does power to earn Satine's heart.

Make no mistake about it - Moulin Rouge is a love story. Yet the film is so clever and impressive about sewing comedy, fantasy and song into the fabric of its touching story that it is easily mistaken for anything but a romance. To boot, the acting is simply splendid. The story fights for attention behind characters that instantly come alive. Getting lost in the characters is as enjoyable as the story itself, making Moulin Rouge a great escape for any movie viewing occasion.

The film beautifully succeeds in its quest to portray the bohemian ideals of truth, beauty, freedom and love. It's characters shine them, its story embodies them, and its setting epitomizes all that they represent. Inside the Moulin Rouge theater, the shows are larger-than-life and these ideals energize audiences time and time again. In all its sinful magnificence, the Moulin Rouge is a bohemian womb begetting sex, song and theatrical wonderment.

If there is a token characteristic about this film, it is it's look. The film pops with frenetic visual effects and sizzles with energy. Eye candy? Sure, but eye candy is baked into Moulin Rouge's recipe - it's more like a journey through a candy factory.

Moulin Rouge's energy, however, isn't generated solely by visual effects. Much of the film's sizzle comes from its soundtrack, which is a brave and daring arrangement. Hollywood has been trying for years to crack the code for a modern day musical with broad appeal. Moulin Rouge is the closest any movie has come in a long time, likely because it blazes a new musical path rather than trodding down an old one.

Perhaps the greatest feat that Moulin Rouge accomplishes is its ability to evolve modern music into big-theater broadway-style showtunes right before your eyes. The music selection and arrangement is genius - it's a refreshing union of songs you know played through themes you're experiencing for the first time. The music awakens you. It challenges your senses. And when it's done, it leaves you with the signature of a smile.

To be fair, music lovers that know song lyrics will get the most out of this film. Subtle references to song lyrics throughout make it adorably clever. This lyrical subtext allows a smile to escape your face when you least expect one to during scenes. Fortunately, Moulin Rouge has enough musical appeal to keep even the non-lyrically-inclined entertained throughout as well.

Moulin Rouge is, in a word, electric. It accomplishes so much by taking chances most movies wouldn't dare take. This film is the closest incarnation of a modern on-screen opera one can imagine but has an amazing look and a storyteller's touch from start to finish that gives it its wonderful appeal. See it for its effects, love it for its music, remember it for its characters. By its end, you'll be touched by a love story and be glad you took a chance on Moulin Rouge too.


Recommended:
Yes

Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older