Evita is a fantastic film and Parker proves once again what a great director he is especially when it comes to musicals. Like his earlier musical works, Evita is a film that is a musical but not in the traditional sense. No one breaks out into song and dances here or there. Instead everyone talks in song and the entire film is one long musical piece with little to no dialogue. It is in fact structured very much like Parker's own Pink Floyd: The Wall. In fact, there are scenes within Evita that seem like they are straight out of that film. The riots in the streets and the marching of the army could be interchanged between both films they are so similar. As is the reoccurring motive of the ballroom dancing.
But that doesn't mean that Evita is a bad film. On the contrary it is a great film and sits up their as one of Parker's best films. It takes a certain kind of skill and talent to be able to make a film with no dialogue (at least speaking dialogue) and still keep the audience interested for over two hours. Parker has that skill and he proves it once again with this masterwork of a film.
Of course, it is based on the hit musical by Webber and former partner Tim Rice. It features all the songs from the musical (plus one new one) and tells the story of Eva Peron, darling First Lady of Argentina. From her youth to her death and her rise to stardom in between we learn it all through song and visuals.
The visuals are supplied by the great Darius Khondji and have some of the best shot scenes in any Alan Parker film. Shot in glorious 2.35:1 widescreen, the images are crisp, clear and a beauty to be hold. The colours are rich and full and the lighting sparkles throughout. Khondji and Parker have captured images that feel like they are from 1940's Argentina. They feel real and are fully realized. The crowd scenes feel massive, the quiet scenes feel intimate and the entire picture is just a feast for the eyes.
The costumes and sets are as good as the cinematography. The locations are stunning and feel like they could be the real thing. I have never been to Argentina but after watching Evita I feel like I know what it would look like and what it would feel like (something a movie rarely does). The attention to detail in everything from the outfits to the posters to the background extras is gloriously produced and perfectly placed giving the audience much to admire throughout one or repeated viewings.
And then there is the acting. Madonna plays the lead role here and leave it to Alan Parker to pull the best (if only good) performance of her career out of her. Madonna does an admiral job in the lead but she isn't as strong an actor as she is a pop star. There are times when she seems bland and times when she seems emotionally blank when the story is calling for more. But then there are times when she rises to the occasion and puts on a stellar performance. While she isn't the strongest of actors she does do a fine job for the most part here.
The rest of the cast (and thousands of extras it seems) are simply amazing. Antonio Banderas is delightful and amazing in his role as narrator. He is so good you wish for more of him when he disappears from the screen. Then there is the great Jonathan Pryce. Another stellar performance from a stellar actor. Within ten minutes on the screen you feel his power and can understand why and how he became President. Everyone else around the three principle actors does a fantastic job and everyone together helps Madonna's performance seem even better than it is.
The music is of course excellent. It soars and it punctuates and it swells and it crashes and it hits all the emotional strings it needs to do. It carries the picture and is there for 99.9% of the time. There are classic songs performed well by the entire cast and great moments of jarring and exciting cues that play well with the intense visuals created by Parker. The only problem I had with the music is that after a while, it does become somewhat repetitive. This is more a product of the musical it is based on than the film, but it is still a slight problem. After all, not all musicals have that problem.
Evita is truly a remarkable film. It's visuals are so striking that it becomes a joy to watch many times over especially set to some classic show tunes. The editing is, in usual Parker form, top notch and the acting is for the most part stellar. Bandaras, in an English language film at least, has never been better. The sets and locations, the costumes and cinematography are so exceptional I feel like I've lived and been in 1940's Argentina. This film, like many Parker films, comes highly recommended. If you like musicals, or you like the theatre, or you like spectacles than this film is for you, In a word: Unmissable!!
Film Rating: 87%
Breakdown (How Evita scored 87%):
Production Design: 10 out of 10
Cinematography: 10 out of 10
Re-playability: 8 out of 10
Originality: 8 out of 10
Costumes: 9 out of 10
Directing: 9 out of 10
Editing: 9 out of 10
Acting: 8 out of 10
Music: 9 out of 10
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