I won’t lie, I expected to be bored. I’m the kind of person who can go see a band I absolutely worship, but if the show gets too long I start to tune out. I love U2 but I knew U23D was a concert flick and those are my least favorite type of music movies. I’m much more of a documentary person.
However, this film was edited wonderfully. The 3D isn’t too over the top so it’s not like Bono is trying to grab your head or Larry is hitting you with a wayward drumstick. The 3D functioned as a tool to accentuate their performance. The footage was shot across several cities however, I believe most of what is in the film was from Argentina. (Rabid U2 fans please feel free to correct me, I know you will.)
I had heard from a friend, who is an acquaintance of the band, that their live shows are meticulously choreographed and directed. I can believe that (since U2 is not only a band but a brand), however there was still some element of soul in the performance. No matter how much of a politician Bono becomes, U2 seem to always be able to tap into the heart of an audience and remain vital. And to be fair to Bono, U2 have always been a political band. I mean, they have an album called War for crissakes. I must add, one of the things I do like about U2 is they somehow manage to perfectly blend rock and political leanings without simply becoming a clichéd band only capable of doing political rock. I won’t name names regarding the latter but it’s pretty easy to guess.
My personal highlights were the following: seeing The Edge’s guitar rig. Holy mackerel. Admiring Bono’s vocal consistency. That guy doesn’t stop. Song after song, he sounds like he has a megaphone lodged in his larynx. Clayton kind of dancing awkwardly out on the runway in the crowd was adorable and I was able to admire his bass playing far more intricately than usual. And of course, Larry Mullen, Jr. I won’t lie, I’ve had a crush on him since I was 12, and seeing as how he’s the member who doesn’t do interviews (ironic since the band was originally called “The Larry Mullen Band”), it was nice to get another insider peek at how he works. He isn’t an over the top, flashy drummer but his style is cohesive and strong.
To invoke oh-so-cheesy cinematic phraseology, it does feel like you “were there” when watching this film. The song choices were perfect—a great mixture of old and new. And being Latin American myself, in some odd way, it reminded me of being back in Brasil. Fans in Latin America are so much more agro than American audiences and it was really energizing to see the play between the band’s energy and these massive flailing stadium crowds.
Would I see it again? Yes. In fact, I’ll probably buy it if it’s offered.
U23D – Trailer
