Rocketman, Zombieland: Double Tap

Taron Egerton broods ceaselessly in Rocketman

Dexter Fletcher's Rocketman is a not unwatchable flop. Produced under the auspices of Sir Elton, the film attempts to tell the tale of his meteoric rise in showbiz using showstoppers from the Maestro's songbook. The film favors an MGM musical approach, costumes and makeup are appropriately glittery. There are nice performances, particularly by Stephen Graham and Tate Donovan. Yet, the effect is flat and surprisingly anodyne for the story of a colorful performer. This is largely due to the choice to use his redemption in rehab as a framing device.

The film avoids celebrity cameos, which beggars belief since Elton has hobnobbed with everyone from John and Yoko to the royals. The band members are unnamed and Gus Dudgeon, Elton's producer, does not appear. This is not necessarily a bad approach, Mr. Fletcher said that he was going for an old time musical feel and that jibes with the phantasmagoric universe of John and Taupin. A few of the musical numbers, particularly "Honky Cat", have zip. However, Lee Hall's screenplay portrays little Reg Dwight as emotionally neglected by his parents, a man hopelessly searching for Love. His parents are one dimensional punching bags,  a cold fish and a tart. When Elton unloads on the errant duo, saying he has fucked multitudes, taken every drug known to man and enjoyed every minute of it, the effect is ludicrous because we haven't seen him enjoying any such debauch. Just a few scenes of him wallowing in substance assisted misery.

What dooms the film is Taron Egerton's lack of charisma. Even Jamie Bell (Bernie Taupin) and Richard Madden (John Reid) have more of an aura of it here. Rocketman is a sullen disappointment.
To taste the flavor of Captain Fantastic at his peak, it would be more rewarding to view his appearance on The Cher Show in 1975

Ruben Fleischer's Zombieland: Double Tap is an uninventive sequel. When the highlight of the film is Zoey Deutch's dumb blonde routine, you know you are sampling a tired rehash. The returnees phone in their performances and the entire enterprise is eminently forgettable.