2007, USA
Documentary, Music
READ THE REVIEW AT The Desert Sun.
Hot on the heels of Hannah Montana comes U2 3D!
Don't get too excited -- The Edge will not toss a pick in your face and Larry keeps his sticks to himself (but Bono does literally reach out for hope, and it is a little creepy). For the most part, the fancy but disposable glasses provide a beautifully enhanced picture without phony gimmicks. Well, the good people at National Geographic allow a few animated gimmicks, as 3ality Digital Entertainment must have gotten a little bored with defining the many angles of four Irish blokes.
After all, this is a concert film in the purest sense, with no rockumentary bells and whistles -- no backstage battles, no late night and/or drunken discussions, no confusion finding the stage. Twenty years ago, the band filmed their Joshua Tree tour for U2: Rattle and Hum and dug into the roots of rock n' roll. They even filmed it in black and white to prove they were serious.
The Vertigo tour set has been amped to feel modern rather than derivative, and in U2 3D the Dublin boys stand in front of thousands of digital squares on screens nearly as tall as the stadiums they consume. They wander onto catwalks that sink into the audience -- perfect for a film designed to make the theater audience feel part of the crowd. As the digital 3D effect creates layers amongst the people and sharp detail on each of Bono's brightly colored glasses, there is no denying that the picture quality is stunning without making the illusion distracting. All films should be made this way.
Despite the gloss, the band is still serious, and halfway through the film they deliver their favorite messages of peace, cultural connection and religious understanding (complete with the song, "Love and Peace or Else"). Bono sports a headband that reads "coexist," written with Islamic, Jewish and Christian symbols, and a series of songs mix politics with concern. The lesser known "Miss Sarajevo" is followed by a reading of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and "Bullet the Blue Sky" is interspersed with "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again."
Impassioned Latin American crowds cheer for recent songs but explode over the classics that put them on the international map: "Pride," "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "One" in particular. Impressively, this is the same foursome that began playing as teens in the mid-70s, and their comfortable chemistry is evident.
Though the film is pleasing, it will not find itself on the same shelf with concert classics Stop Making Sense or The Last Waltz. U2 still knows how to work an enthusiastic crowd, but there is nothing overly phenomenal about the performances. The 3D technique is the key, and other musicians should be so lucky to find their concerts documented with the same treatment. Time to start kissing up to National Geographic, Kanye.