Rocketman Review: 8 Ups & 2 Downs

Ups...

8. Taron Egerton's Oscar-Worthy Performance

If there's any one inscrutable element of this movie, it's surely Taron Egerton's sublime performance as Elton John.

For starters, Egerton bares a startling physical resemblance to the singer in his younger years, effortlessly filling out the exorbitant costumes and easily slinking convincingly into the role.

But what sets Egerton's portrayal above that of, say, Rami Malek's solid turn as Freddie Mercury, is his commitment to actually singing every single song himself.

Though Egerton hasn't hidden the fact that certain aspects of his performance were fine-tuned in post-production, we are nevertheless hearing his voice through all the musical numbers, and he's shockingly spot-on.

To call Egerton's work here an impression would be a disservice, because this doesn't just feel like an inspired cover version - Egerton captures the soul of his subject and never lets the mask slip.

With the Academy so enthusiastically awarding Rami Malek the Best Actor Oscar earlier this year, it'd be nothing short of criminal if Egerton wasn't at least nominated for the big one next year.