Directed By Beyonce, James B Merryman and Mark Ritchie

Starring – Beyonce

The Plot – Beyoncé in performance at her record-breaking RENAISSANCE World Tour and the creative mastermind behind it.

This film is currently not rated

RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ | Official Trailer – YouTube

POSITIVES

For over a quarter of a century, Queen Bey has sat atop the throne of soul and R&B, respectively, with a versatile catalogue of cherished favorites that have made her one of the most recognizable voices in all of music, and that impact on her legion of Bee’s can be felt the loudest in “Renaissance”, where she not only performs 34 of her biggest tracks, but also writes, directs and produces its cinematic adaptation. This is an extravegant spectacle in every sense of the word, with a rhythmically pulse-setting stage show second to none, in terms of magnitude or execution, but also a candidly intimate portrait of the woman behind the artist off-stage, who reflects over a long and winding career with insightful commentary over the most important people of her life who drive her creativity. This is ultimately what sets “Renaissance” apart from “The Era’s Tour” or any other previous concert film, in that it takes ample time away from the concert to focus on the many grinding gears of the show, with appreciation paid to everyone from dancers to stage hands that cements a growing appreciation for so many factors that could easily miss their marks at any minute, but are instead executed with the kind of razor sharp precision that makes for such a groundbreaking experience. Groundbreaking in the presentation, which not only highlights many different aspect ratios and framing techniques between the stage and Beyonce’s limitless fandom, but also the magic of the movie’s magical editing, with an abundance of footage stretched across various dates on her world tour, shifts costumes and choreography in the blink of an eye towards disorienting audiences in the best ways possible. Speaking of those costumes, if the film somehow earned an Academy Award nomination for its elaborately breathtaking threads, I would wholeheartedly understand, as the imaginative essence for so many shapes and styles play vividly towards the atmospheric ambiances of each track they uniquely accommodate, with a three-piece bee suit during “America has a Problem” being my undying favorite. This track and a few others are enhanced by the cameo appearances of some of rap and soul’s biggest artists of all-time, with one particular surprise bringing Beyonce to tears, as we actually get to see Beyonce the fan for a single solitary glimpse, instead of the stage superstar that we’ve known and respected through so many transformations. As for Beyonce the performer, her revealing direction does a remarkable job of not only utilizing her vocal capabilities in the most evocatively powerful methods, but also in conjuring this appealing layer of vulnerability that makes her feel surprisingly relatable to the audience, despite this unshakeable attitude on-stage that puts the fierce in Sasha Fierce. Beyond just her interactions with the crowd that inspire each of them to scream towards deafening heights, it’s easily Beyonce’s fearless expressionism that sells acceptance to so many LGBTQ audiences, prescribing each of them an element of bravery to fly free and loudly proud as possible, making her as much a pioneer of equality as she is an icon of music. Last but certainly not least, the aformentioned 34-track setlist is a genre-colliding big picture in the restrospective of Beyonce’s career, offering something endearingly poetic for each side of the respective audience, while also illustrating the impeccable vocal range that even today feels unmatched by any hungry upstart artist who walks through the same doors that Beyonce kicked open. While I’m a little sad that my personal favorite, “Sweet Dreams”, didn’t make the cut, I can confidently say that there’s something here for everyone, and when combined with some unique remixes in instrumentals or Beyonce’s clever crossovers to other artist’s big hits, prescribes a newfound life and appreciation for them that pays off on the grandest stage, all with energetically impactful performances from our titular titan, who sounds even better live than she does on record.

NEGATIVES

Another unfortunate similarity that “Renaissance” bares with “The Era’s Tour” is this exhausting emphasis behind a nearly three hour run time, resulting in the strained kind of pacing that feels every bit of its length. Without making these films a rock solid two hours, I’m not sure what could rightfully fix this element, especially since “Renaissance” gives its all to hook audiences to not only the elaboracy of the stage show, but also the reflections on Beyonce’s own life, which feel closer to the singer than ever, but it simply can’t that same kind of momentum that remained consistent during the film’s opening hour, with an entertaining-but-long-winded unloading that constantly had me checking my watch. This is even more surprising considering the aforementioned editing techniques do occasionally eat into certain tracks, leaving only a minute or two between them before the next song transition, but there’s simply too much here to maintain constant enthralling, despite the stage spectacle that works overtime towards seducingly transfixing us.

OVERALL
“Renaissance: A Beyonce Film” is a complete look into the most elaborate stage show that music has ever known, with energetic performances and insightful reflction serving as the threads that tie together the musical icon with the dependable family woman. Though the film continuously tests pacing with its nearly three hour run time, there’s no shortage of entertainment value, spectacle or gratitude from Queen Bey, resulting in not only the superior concert film of the year, but also a memory in time of when the world chose to live again, after nearly crumbling itself.

My Grade: 9/10 or A