Le cirque du soleil

This is an art film that works for the over 45 age crowd. We have been around long enough to see our lives go through phases each with it's own sense of wonder. Look at the ratings by age group and you'll see the over 45 age group is the most appreciative. It may also be that we have waited long to see the promise of an art film realized in this sumptuous format.

If you can go see this film with a relaxed, open mind it will touch you and it will linger. Journey of Man has a solid concept in writing, excellent art direction, and the I-Max format is well utilized with it's amazing image and sound quality and the traditionally shorter runtime. The film exploits the latest 3D technology that has to be experienced to be appreciated.

Though this is not the best of the cirque performances, it is worth watching when the conditions are right. I first saw this on an imax screen and it was fabulous, I went back to see it again! However, if you are going to watch a cirque show at home, this one is not the best. The acrobatic scenes are short and the narration scenes are long making for a awkward performance. If you do make it to the end though, you are rewarded with a meaningful message about life. If you have not seen any other cirque shows and happen to see this one first please know that they are not all like this, the average show is much heavier on the acrobatics, music and lighting and most shows do not have the forced narration and story line that this one features.

"Cirque du Soleil - the Journey of Man" is a visually stunning 3-D film that would be more rewarding if it was longer than 40 minutes and had a fuller message. As is, it serves as an enticement to see the complete Cirque du Soleil performance whether in person in Las Vegas or by recorded videotape. The stream of consciousness involving the little boy becoming an aging man symbolizing his development is not intuitively complete. In showing man's self discovery and his experiences of love and joy with us, the film fails to bring us his uniqueness and his identity. It may be enough, for some, just to see the virtuoso acrobatics of the four set pieces - the underwater magic of five synchronized swimmers, the quartet trapeze artists dangling on rope who twirl their bodies forward rhythmically from their waists, the couple with precise control who raise and lower each other by sheer muscular strength on a water lily platform, and the finale involving multi-level players standing on each other's shoulders and the star figure jumping somersaults to reach a pinnacle. But these are merely appetizers that lead us astray, making us anticipate a piece-de-resistance that will not be forthcoming.

As per my expectations I was completely enthralled by the vividness and wonderment that usually accompanies a Cirque Du Soleil performance, however, at 45 minutes (I estimated only 35 minutes excluding the credits) it was only a tease. Just as your starting to get into the story it's over. My wait in line to get tickets was longer than the movie! As an advertisement for their shows it was on the mark, as a stand-alone piece…what a disappointment.

If I hadn't known this was a Cirque du Soleil production I'd have thought some really creative CGI work was at hand, but this IS A Cirque Di Soleil production so I know better.

Cirque du Soleil have always been masters at pushing our imaginations with the aid of their performers who push our understanding of just what the human body can do. As for this production, the performances are weaved together by another Master of his craft: Sir Ian McKellan as "The Narrator".

I did not find the story to be trite nor the performances to be stale. As with any other Cirque du Soleil experience not filmed in front of a live audience, Cirque du Soleil showcases a few acts by interweaving them into a new storyline for not only fans of but also to give people who had never seen a Cirque du Soleil production in person a sense of what they are all about.

While I will agree with a few comments as to the length of the video, there is an old show business adage: always leave 'em wanting more...and that they have done!

The storyline, the costumes, the characters, the music, the prrformances...for these eyes it was all top notch and didn't disappoint.