If anything, this biopic didn’t fall into the trap of being just a wikipedia summary of the artist’s career. Unlike _Bohemian Rhapsody_, there actually is a focus with this film, which makes it a more compelling story. They probably should’ve gone a little more in depth about how the dude was a pedophile, as it’s hinted at and tossed aside very quickly, but I get that you can’t include everything (and the movie is already way too long as it stands). Still, it does make it feel a little sanitized. The focus stays on Elvis and his manager, which are two well written characters. Austin Butler’s performance is great and easily the best thing about it. Tom Hanks, on the other hand, gives one of his worst performances to date. It's a little too over the top and I don’t know what he was attempting with the accent, as I believe this character was Dutch in real life, but Hanks certainly doesn’t sound like that. Ultimately where it falls apart for me though is with the directing and production choices. The editing’s trying very hard to amp up the glossy, Las Vegas feel of the movie, but it comes across as annoying and kitschy. Lots of rapid fire editing as well, it all got a bit exhausting and excessive after a while. Then there’s the music, which got a good laugh out of me. I don’t think I’ll offend anyone by saying that Elvis is primarily a boomer icon, and that they’re intended to be the primary audience for this. Yet, they decided to put artists like Doja Cat and Denzel Curry on the soundtrack. It’s hilariously misjudged and such an obvious attempt to pander to younger audiences. It's like a WB executive gave a note to Baz Luhrmann telling him that the movie needs four quadrant appeal, but since that's unlikely to happen with a movie about Elvis Presley, it feels a bit pathetic and desperate. So, all in all another pretty mediocre musical biopic, about as good as the other ones that have been coming out over the past few years.

5/10