REVIEW: New Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Concert Film Is a Colorful Kaleidoscopic Dreamland
The Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film opened to sold-out theaters on October 13.
The Eras Tour was a once-in-a-lifetime memory for Swifties everywhere. However, due to the unprecedented demand for tickets, many lifelong fans could not attend. Despite the hiccup, Swift’s concert film comes to life and offers viewers an equally fresh and unique take on the moviegoing experience. I screened the film at Dolby Cinema on October 21, where moviegoers like myself received an Eras-branded cup and poster. Dolby Cinema was a rainbow full of sound. I felt like I was transported to SoFi Stadium. I could hear the electric crowd and was left awestruck by the vivid color palette. The costume design is charming, and the subtle detail of her microphone matching her various musical eras is a small gift that will leave the fans talking.
Taylor Swift has been in the music industry for seventeen years. She emerged as a sixteen-year-old country darling in 2006 with her debut single, “Tim McGraw.” Swift would not stay a pure country singer for long. She began to shapeshift as an artist once she released Red in 2012. The transformative record helped fans leave behind the messiness of teenage adolescence and forge their own respective paths to adulthood.
Although I did not attend an Eras tour date, I quickly felt like I was at a show of my very own. The film began with the album Lover. By the film’s second song, “Cruel Summer,” several excited fans made their way to the screen, belting out the lyrics to the pop anthem. This continued many times throughout the film, and I knew that I was witnessing something magical taking place. Swift made a bold statement wearing a shimmering suit to tackle “The Man,” a gender-bending track. She ends the piece with “Lover” the ballad for many lovestruck fans.
In true Taylor fashion, she segued into one of her first albums, Fearless, performing the title track, “You Belong with Me,” and “Love Story.” These songs all showcase Swift as a country-pop artist, complete with sequins and a dazzling guitar. She literally brings the sunshine with her as the stage is brightly lit up yellow. The sunshine is left behind when Swift enters the evermore era. This was a record made during the COVID-19 pandemic, where viewers are taken on a dark, escapist journey. The standout here is “Champagne Problems,” a melancholy power ballad filled with emotion. Swift continues her amazing acting when she builds the scene for “tolerate it.” She creates a table with a vase of roses and a champagne glass for two. Raphael Thomas comes out as her partner and devastates the crowd with their powerful performances as a couple who both want different things.
Taylor Swift Touches Every Emotion
Swift then leaves the sadness behind and provides a seamless transition into the popularly coined term, “her Reputation era.” She wore a stunning one-legged Roberto Cavalli catsuit donned with red snakes slithering down her body for this segment. It was an all-black affair and we definitely weren’t ready for it. This was the strongest part of the film, with hard-hitting choreography and banger after banger. She played “… ready for it,” “Delicate,” “Don’t Blame Me,” and “Look What You Made Me Do.”
Then, the album Speak Now transported fans back into the whimsical dreamy world of the era. While I wish that she devoted a bit more time to Speak Now, I was still pleasantly surprised by the song selection of “Enchanted.” Viewers were thrilled to enter the Red era as she performed her acclaimed hits “22,” “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” and “I Knew You Were Trouble.” Fans really went all in for her epic finale of the soaring ten-minute “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version).”
The Folklore era gave fans a look into a Victorian woman. The cozy, woodsy vibe was ever-present and included a makeshift cabin. Her sister album to evermore is complete with a complex love triangle of characters and illustrates Swift’s songwriting abilities well. She performed “The 1,” “Betty,” “The Last Great American Dynasty,” “August,” “Illicit Affairs,” and “My Tears Ricochet.”
The sadness slowly washes itself away as fans gear up to celebrate 1989. The year Swift entered the world had to be a grand spectacle. This album produced a laundry list of pop classics which would include “Style,” “Blank Space,” “Shake It Off,” “Wildest Dreams,” and “Bad Blood.”
Before entering Midnights, Swift performed an acoustic set of “Our Song,” and “You’re On Your Own, Kid.” Midnights was a crystal haze. She devoted a lot to this segment, and it certainly paid off. The choreography and facial expressions in “Vigilante Sh-t” alone rocked the era.
Taylor Swift is a once-in-a-generation type artist. The concert tour film will undoubtedly make one a fan after viewing it. Swift and director, Sam Wrench, did a picture-perfect job highlighting the tour of the summer. The famous singer-songwriter, her band, and her dancers will leave you wildly entertained. I look forward to her next musical chapter.
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is a can’t-miss cinematic experience. See it in theaters now.
Writer | Tweet me @court__giles
