Glee: The 3D Concert Movie
Rating: Gleeks - 7/10 - Non-Gleeks - 4/10
Cast: Cory Monteith, Dianna Agron and Lea Michele
Director: Kevin Tancharoen
Calling all Gleeks!
The TV show which revived the musical has now spawned a movie - Glee: The 3D Concert Movie. It's an all singing, all dancing live experience with your favourite Glee characters taken straight from their recent concert tour.
As a fan of the show, I was still a little sceptical that the film, which essentially features the best songs from Glee, would translate to the big screen but it works.
As well as fun musical performances from New Directions, the film explores the fan appeal of Glee and what the show, with its eclectic cast of characters, means to its legions of fans. The film features three very special Glee fans who embody the "Love Yourself" message at the heart of the show.
Apparently clips of hilarious fan favourite Sue Sylvester were edited out of the film and it noticeably lacks that cutting edge humour which is such a draw card of the show. Without Sue's snarky humour, Glee's positive and admirable message about embracing diversity eventually becomes a little bit heavy handed toward the end of the film.
In Sue's absence, it's Heather Morris, deadpanning it as Brittney, who provides the much needed, though woefully short, bouts of comic relief. Of the young cast, she seems to have the comedy goods which could see her go far outside of the Glee franchise.
But Glee, of course, is always about the music and the Glee kids still wow with all your favourite songs from the show. Barbara Streisand wannabe Rachel (Lea Michelle) hams it up the spotlight as usual and her version of Firework gives Katie Perry a run for her money. Blaine (Darren Criss), fronting The Warblers, is another crowd pleaser. There's even a surprise appearance from one of Glee's big guest stars and a Mini Warbler who manages to steal the whole show.
The 3D is mostly under used but it does create the sensation of actually being amongst the concert crowd. Stick around after the slick 3D credits for an extra helping of Glee.
If you're not a fan of the TV show, Glee: The 3D Concert Movie
probably won't be for you but for all you Gleeks out there, it will
definitely leave you grinning and likely humming one of the catchy
tunes as you leave.
