by Spencer Hawken

Created on: January 14, 2008

Imagine if you can the 2001 movie Moulin Rouge on drugs! Think about this for a minute, yeah I know what you're thinking; Across The Universe however is so annoying, demented, and irritating it makes Moulin Rouge look like a serious classic piece of work.
My biggest problem with Across The Universe is I'm not sure who it is aimed at, it starts with a lot of indications that it is aimed at a young audience, you can envisage from the start that the movie is designed for a very family orientated audience. But it's not long before things get a little weird sex in alleys or at least the suggestion of it, possible drug abuse, brief nudity, and a really strong political message that possibly anyone under 18 might not necessarily understand.

The next aspect of the movie is sacrilege, you see as you possibly may have guessed by my comparison to Moulin Rouge, Across The Universe is a musical. Rather like Moulin Rouge all of the films songs are familiar, and it's not long before you realise that they are all The Beatles best known songs.
It is difficult, well certainly for me; to understand the difference in the movie from the reality. I can't quite put my finger on which aspects are the workings of the teenagers involved rational minds and which parts are down to the fact that they have been taking something they clearly have not. Although drugs are never specifically highlighted they could be the only reason for the strange and often irrational behaviour, and bizarre journeys into a different world. The feeling here is rather like many of those 60's drug inspired movies that really only anyone with a little drug knowledge would understand the references, the rest of the audience were just believing this is some crazy fun adventure.

The story itself follows young Jude (Jim Stugess) whose life of singing and dancing in Liverpool's cavern club is put to an end by the decision to head to the United States to find his father, who does not know that Jude even exists. Upon arrival in the States Jude meets up with Sadie, Prudence, Lucy and a variety of other colourful characters. Together they party and have good old "artsy" fun, trying to be deep, but instead being incredibly shallow; this is of course until the war in Vietnam begins. The story then changes with all our hippy chic trying to stop Max Carrigan (Joe Anderson) from being pulled into the big draft and sent to Vietnam to fight for his country. Together they scheme and plan reasons for him not to go, but they fail. Meanwhile

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