Glee:
The 3D Concert Movie isn't a film to win over new fans.
This movie is fan service for the "˜Gleeks' that love the show that airs weekly
on Fox. The majority of the film
is comprised of selections from the recently wrapped concert tour that took the
leading stars across the country to show everyone the excitement that comes
with show choir. The rare
exception is when we get the occasional backstage view of our budding rockstars,
which, for the most part, is quite humorous. There's also a bit of a
documentary element to the film as they discuss how Glee has helped people realize that being different is, for lack of
a better adjective, cool.
In terms of the performances, they're decent. I'm not a fan of some of the
arrangements of the songs, but I did like the variety of tracks that were
performed. They went through
Journey to Lady Gaga to Michael Jackson, and then threw in some Barbara
Streisand just for kicks. The choreography isn't spectacular either as the
choreographer apparently has an extreme love for push turns. The repetition of this particular move
just about drove me crazy! The
performers, however, have a great understanding of how to use the stage and how
to keep everything moving. The whole show is very high energy, which keeps it
from feeling overly repetitious.
The 3D in the film helps add some "˜depth' to the concert,
but some of the most extreme moments of 3D come at a very awkward time and create
confusion more than anything else. The film is obviously comprised of a
collection of shots from several concerts rather than recording an entire show
all the way through. I'm guessing some of the songs that were performed on tour
are not included in this film, but unless you've been to the concert, it's not
something that's immediately obvious. Some of the shots that focus on the
audience more than the concert itself are a little frustrating "“ I want to see
the performers, not the girls screeching like banshees.
Overall, I think this film is entertaining, but it's not the
highlight of my summer. The performances are enjoyable, and the documentary
moments of the film are interesting. However, my lack of Glee knowledge made some of the jokes and interplay between
characters seem both awkward and strange. If you're a diehard fan and weren't
able to catch one of the limited stops made by the singing group this past
spring then you'll enjoy this. If you get dragged along, know that you won't be
bored, even if the film wasn't actually made with you in mind.
