Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
AMC Theatres2023 has, undoubtedly, been the year of Taylor Swift. From the launch of the record-breaking The Eras Tour to the release of Speak Now (Taylor's Version) and 1989 (Taylor's Version), Taylor Swift has claimed her spot at the top of the modern pop culture mountain with no signs of slowing down. This success rolls on into Sam Wrench's Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, a filmed version of Swift's The Eras Tour concert during its 6-night stay in Los Angeles. For any fan of Swift, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is a grand celebration of her lengthy career that is sure to deliver and be one of the best theatrical experiences of the year!
From the opening minutes of the film, as Swift takes the stage to perform the Lover section of the tour's setlist, a setlist divided into 10 distinctive sections including 9 of Swift's albums and a surprise acoustic set, there is no denying just how much the camera loves Swift who eats up every frame of the film's 169-minute runtime. Her power throughout a nearly 3-hour show is truly remarkable. For anyone with a connection to her music, old or new, it is going to be Swift's power and electricity that hits the hardest with her being confident and right in her element at all times.
The filmmaking behind the project further supports this energy which is needed for a project of this size. The editing by Dom Whitworth and cinematography from Brett Turnbull work in tandem to create a dynamic and thrilling concert experience that captures the scale and weight of the live performance in a way totally unique to the feature. Even for those lucky enough to attend the concert in person, the film offers a new experience that is completely worthy and moving. The one place where the editing feels rough is in some of the speeches by Swift. While the entire project has a handful of rough cuts, some of the speeches are clearly chopped up and feel almost unintelligible with Swift's speech leading into her performance of Betty being especially poorly handled.
What perhaps the film does best is capture the energy of the live Swift experience. From the sound design that truly transforms even an empty theater into a roaring sold-out SoFi Stadium to how the camera angles the crowd and captures the sheer spectacle that is The Eras Tour, the film brings the authentic concert experience to the big screen in one of the more impressive efforts in the history of this genre. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is not simply showing these songs being performed but is trying to bring the holistic experience of the show to audiences, something masterfully achieved.
It goes without saying that the final piece of brilliance comes from the actual show itself. Beautifully paced with the clean 10-act structure giving the show a wonderful backbone that helps the runtime fly by with no breaks or low points, when capturing greatness like this it is only natural that the film would hold a certain power itself. For many, Swift's discography carries a great presence of nostalgia and power with the show spacing out its various eras in a way that will keep any Swiftie entertained. What the film offers especially is a more clear and focused highlighting of the artistry behind the tour. From the production design to the various costumes put on by Swift and her background dancers, there is a true sense of craft involved here that is worth a closer examination than what many will get from just seeing the concert live in person. Also celebrated in the film are the background dancers and band who create wonderful bits of personality and atmosphere that help increase the emotional output of the show. From building a real tenderness felt during Lover, celebrating genuine joy in 22, and bringing a sultry edge to Vigilante Shit, in many ways, these individuals are the heart and soul of the tour and it is beautiful seeing their work get celebrated as it is in the film.
For anyone with an interest or warm memory towards Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is a must-see cinematic experience. Taking a great concert tour and building a unique cinematic identity that enhances and evolves the experience into something unique, the film is one of the most fun and rewarding experiences of the year for cinema. With the added bonus of what the film's successful release might mean for the future of film distribution in the long term and what the film's financial boom means in the short term for theaters, the hits keep hitting for Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour!
