I know it's a terribly stereotypical thing to say, but many guys prefer cyborgs smashing into each other and car chases through Tokyo over a musical about the 'merits of love.' I am definitely the former. In fact, most of the titles in my DVD collection ends with the phrase '...of the Living Dead.' However - and it's a BIG 'however' - I will make a massive exception for 'Moulin Rouge.'I'm certainly not a fan of musicals in general (and I'm sure 'South Park: The Movie' doesn't count as one, despite having plenty of songs contained within), so I'm not sure why I love 'Moulin Rouge' so much. It's set a hundred years or so ago in Paris when a penniless writer (Ewan McGregor) falls in love with a beautiful courtesan (Nicole Kidman) in the - kind of infamous - nightclub, the Moulin Rouge. Naturally, true love never runs smooth and the pair have plenty of highs and lows along the way.I suppose it helps that I'm a fan of Ewan McGregor (who can sing probably better than you imagine!) and, possibly what aided this musicals place in my heart was the fact that all the songs they sing are actually 'modern day' songs which work surprisingly well for what is - effectively - a 'period piece.' Nicole Kidman also deserves a nod for her singing voice, although I'm not a massive fan, but she did everything she had to well enough. Although, the two definitely do have chemistry, even leading to rumours of being 'more than just friends' off-screen, too!Although however much you like or dislike the film's leads, what often gets talked about more than who's in the production is the way it's directed. It truly is a film student's dream to watch. Baz Luhrmann does a fantastic (and most of all creative!) job at bringing this old tale to life and injecting more energy than Renton every experienced from 'jabbing a vein' in 'Trainspotting.' The songs/dances are the true definition of 'high energy' and the whole film is awash with vibrant colours and glamour.The supporting cast are also good: John Leguizamo does well for a 'normal-size' man playing a dwarf and therefore acting (and dancing!) on his knees. Jim Broadbent always stood out for me and definitely deserves a nod. The film's primary antagonist is Richard Roxburgh, who, in my opinion, is delightfully campy as the villain. However, I did hear that he took a lot of criticism for his performance and some saw him as the film's 'weakest point.' I guess he does chew up the scenery in some places, but in a film so over-the-top as this, I couldn't really tell the difference.Overall, there's nothing really new here in terms of storytelling. After all... the 'boy meets girl' story is a tale as old as time. However, it's not the story that stands out, but HOW it's told. You definitely don't have to be a fan of musicals to appreciate the volume of energy and love that's gone into making this. It really is a spectacle to observe.

This is a movie that i can't quite put my finger on, but over thinking about it, i relized that it was ok, but a guilty pleasure. there are some good preformances like Christain and Zidler's preformances weren't bad, but there are scenes with Satine doing an insane routine to seduce the duke, and then there's the duke yelling "I JUST DON"T LIKE OTHER PEOPLE TOUCHING MY THINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" kind of makes you wonder whether or not this was a comedy. the paing is also bad, but the pathos, sets and some laughably bad scenes were good. but theres still some plot holes like why not just tell the duke she's dying? and the songs were hit or miss. all in all, you can see it, but man, those flaws are noticable, and so are the pros

I normally do not like musicals, but the thing about this movie is that it doesn't only focus on the musical aspect of it, but it has romance, comedy, drama, and everything else you want in these kinds of movies. Nicole Kidman and Ewan Mcgreggor really embody their characters in such a way that you actually fall in love with them and their relationship since the beginning of the movie. There are no words to describe how Moulin Rouge is a true masterpiece and in my opinion, it is not given enough credit as it deserves. Making a musical is hard, but making a good story out of one is even harder and the story of this movie is really creative and there is nothing like it. I hope everyone watches it and enjoys it as much as I do!

I never, ever have written a "review" of a film I have not finished watching. Until now.Consider this a public service warning. SKIP IT ! NOW! Unless you really like to listen to contemporary songs in a 18th Century setting being sung by non-singers, skip it.Unless you really really like to look repeatedly at close up shots of lace and taffeta clad women's crotches, skip it.If all you want is a well photographed film of a pretty stupid story with totally obnoxious characters, then this one is for you. If not, (all together now) skip it. I wish that I had.