A four minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival is a very good start for the new Elton John film and for those of you still in therapy wondering how on God's green earth Bohemian Rhapsody won four Oscars, Rocketman is here to put your spinning world back onto its axis.
As the tag line says, "based on a true fantasy" this is Elton John's story according to Elton, with his Kingsman co-star Taron Egerton in the lead role, hitting it out of the park in the process.
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Rocketman is - simply put - a triumph.
Clearly I don't need to tell the legion of Elton fans to buy a ticket, with over 20 songs from his gargantuan back-catalogue this is an Elton fan's dream come true.
But even if you don't know all the lyrics to 'Tiny Dancer' and even if you have never drunkenly karaoke'd to 'Candle in the Wind' after a nasty break up, Rocketman is still an emotional, psychedelic rock and roller-coaster that should not be missed.
The story gallops along at a mighty clip without a wobble buoyed by a first-class script and stellar support.
There's Richard Madden as smooth-talking manager and lover John Reid, Billy Elliot himself Jamie Bell as Bernie Taupin and two stand-out sideshows in the shape of foul-mouthed Stephen Graham and the juicy surprise that is Tate Donovan. Bryce Dallas Howard brings her A-game as usual as Elton's mother Sheila.
Now don't freak out, this isn't just a musical... it's a MUSICAL, and it's worth making a song and dance about.
There is no awkward lip-syncing here Eggsy can really sing, he somehow makes these Elton classics his own while ensuring they remain entirely Elton and honestly I am still trying to figure out how.
One thing I have figured out, Rocketman will feature come awards season and I plan to see it plenty more times while I wait.
Part biopic, part La La land, part LSD trip and all heart, Taron Egerton as Elton John is easily one of the best couple of hours I've spent in a cinema in YONKS.
This is no countdown greatest hits album, this is something else entirely and I loved every single minute of it.
Five stars.
