Film Review: EPIC: ELVIS PRESLEY IN CONCERT (2025): Baz Luhrmann’s Kinetic Footage of Elvis Will Fascinate Fans of the King
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert Review
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert (2025) Film Review, a movie directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Elvis Presley.
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert is renowned filmmaker Baz Luhrmann’s companion piece to his 2022 masterpiece, Elvis. Elvis states in the new documentary that he more or less liked the attention he was getting and couldn’t imagine it ever stopping. He didn’t live long enough for that spotlight that was thrust upon him to disappear, but the King managed to put on well over 1000 shows in a short time span, sometimes even putting on three shows a day. That tidbit is shared at the end credits of this wildly ambitious movie that, ultimately, feels a bit ordinary at times.
Despite featuring new footage, this film feels like something found on YouTube jazzed up and with more pizzazz than the basic video you’d come across while scrolling. This movie could have been a streaming event, but on the big screen, it will probably only appeal to aficionados of the King or people new to his music who want to learn more about what it was like to experience the legendary performer in concert firsthand.
This spiffy documentary tells of how Elvis was drafted as a young man and his return to the stage afterwards. There’s no shortage of footage of crazed fans swooning over him and there’s certainly no lulls in the action as the movie fluidly moves from one kinetic situation to another, usually showing one song being performed after another. Elvis was at his best when he was his most vulnerable such as when he performed his more personal songs such as “In the Ghetto” or “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.” The sweat and emotion that the King put into every performance is so evident in Luhrmann’s new concert picture that one can feel Elvis’ sweat coming through the screen and there’s no actor portraying Elvis this time out. It’s the real deal.
This new film is “caught in a trap,” however. It’s occasionally a by-the-numbers account of Elvis’s life highlights for those familiar with the King. How much one enjoys the movie depends on how much one is willing to sit through the familiar elements of the movie to get to some of the rarer footage that is showcased here. You’ll get images of Elvis in movies like Jailhouse Rock and get so many songs that if looking at the list of songs the movie plays in the end credits, it seems Luhrmann didn’t miss a single beat. However, the surprise scenes may be worth going with the flow that Luhrmann obviously wants the viewer to go with.
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert may not be timed perfectly. Coming nearly four years after the movie, one must understand it took time to piece together this picture and it was a true labor of love for Luhrmann. That being said, many people have moved forward from the Elvis movie from 2022. That is true enough a statement that the people currently lining up to see this new concert film may not have even seen the 2022 picture but are merely curious to see how the legendary Elvis performed in concert (always exclusively in North America as the picture reminds us). Fans of the 2022 film will certainly get more out of the new footage than those who haven’t seen it.
When the end credits hit, make sure to stay seated for some more footage and cameos by stars like Sammy Davis Jr. EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert is nothing close to the experience the 2022 movie offered. That’s because a documentary can’t help someone get inside a character’s emotions the way a feature film can. Well, technically, a documentary could get deep inside an artist’s mind, but this Luhrmann film is more interested in his performances than what made him tick. That 2022 movie explored a lot more and covered more unfamiliar ground. It only goes to show you that a documentary of concert footage (new or old) can only shed so much light on a talent’s pains and passions. Still, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert should be seen.
A lot happens in EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, but fans may have seen much of it already. When the music is this good, however, it’s hard to not tap your toes while listening to the legendary performer as he plays his shows and moves audiences to tears. Women sneak on stage to be close to him and he’s just being himself. He does his little wiggle on stage and audiences can swoon in a heartbeat. Luhrmann is a legendary filmmaker himself and spices up the movie with polished end credits and some unique footage that will surely have fans in awe if they can sit through the more familiar elements of EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert. It’s good, but the 2022 movie still remains the most accomplished work on the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Rating: 7.5/10
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