Review: Sparkling, startling Moulin Rouge

PART burlesque. Part grotesque. Wholly psychedelic.

Terrific. Baz Luhrmann's fantasy on the Bohemian Revolution in Paris at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries is one of the most sparkling, startling visions to make it to the big screen.

It's a fin de siecle musical with poetry. A tragic romance with dancing. A freak show with beauty. A comedy with tears. It manages to be all these things and more - even combining the feel of a beautiful little morality play into its multi-coloured, fantastical web.

Christian (Ewan McGregor) is a young writer who moves to Paris in 1899 in search of the Bohemians. Finding a room in Montmartre he is drawn into the company of Toulouse Lautrec (John Leguizamo) who drafts him in as writer for a new play to be staged at the Moulin Rouge - provided its owner, Zidler (Jim Broadbent), can secure financing from the Duke (Richard Roxburgh).

The star of the show is the Moulin Rouge's most exquisite escort girl, the Sparkling Diamond herself, Satine (Nicole Kidman), pictured.

Zidler uses Satine's charms to secure the Duke's patronage, but she only has eyes for Christian. The two become doomed lovers as the Duke requires exclusive rights to her affections. Love or the theatre? Love or money? Love or security? Love or health?

The story is as old as the hills, yet it speaks a universal truth - 'the greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return'.

Luhrmann draws equally on conventional and unconventional narratives as the story unfolds. The soundtrack flits between Craig Armstrong's affecting original score and stylised cut ups of scores of well-known pop and rock hits from the last 40 years - Monroe, Bowie, Bolan, The Police, Madonna; they're all in there.

The camera whirls between intimate scenes and grandiose set pieces with a breathless ease, heightening and subduing the tension and excitement.

Despite a few doubts about McGregor's voice, the cast performs superbly throughout - Broadbent in particular - putting the icing on a ridiculously fine confection.

See it!