For the first time in over 10 years, we’re being treated to a James Cameron film that isn’t a part of the Avatar franchise… and it’s a concert film! Cameron teams up with Billie Eilish to bring the Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour to the big screen.
Concert films aren’t a new concept, dating back to the 1940s, but their popularity has surged in recent years. In fact, 2023 proved to be a landmark year for the genre, with Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour and Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé both topping the box office during their respective opening weekends. As concerts increase in production value, artists are increasingly keen to capture them, while also making them accessible to fans around the world.
But the art of a perfect concert film can be difficult to master. Taylor Swift’s The 1989 World Tour Live is well known for its constantly changing angles and random effects. It is not easy to replicate the immersive experience of being in an arena and translate that feeling to the big screen. This is where the pairing of Cameron and Eilish stands out. To document the concert filmed at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, Cameron developed new technology in the form of a small 3D camera that could get up close to Eilish on stage and immerse cinema audiences in the live experience. The result is a unique cinema-going experience, one that fans of Eilish will love, whether they attended the tour or not.
Many modern touring productions will include multiple set pieces, back-up performers and full choreography, but the Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour stands out as Eilish is the only performer on the stage (accompanied by her band). Not only does she have to command the arena, but the cinemas too. The big screen is typically totally different to the stage; the audience is reliant on the visuals to keep them entertained. But this wasn’t a problem for Eilish, who had already meticulously thought out every part of the show as Cameron documents her creative journey, down to the colour that each song may be, as she explains she wants her audiences to be overstimulated through all the senses, but in the best way.
Cutting between shots of the show and behind-the-scenes footage, the film keeps things engaging while offering an exclusive look at how the tour is created and the effort that goes into each performance. We are taken through the thought process behind elements of the show, as well as creative decisions for the film, pre-show rituals, and Eilish’s relationship with her fans, which emerges as a central theme throughout. Through constant audience shots, interviews, and behind-the-scenes moments, the fanbase sits at the heart of everything, and Eilish knows it, making the film feel like a love letter to her fans.
The fans love it too. The cinema audience was so absorbed that I could not help but wish I could get up and dance, caught up in the high energy of the show, and I was not alone. During L’amour De Ma Vie / Over Now, fans ran down the steps and formed a dance pit in the corner of the cinema, staying there until the end, before holding hands and skipping in a circle to Birds of a Feather. That spontaneous moment perfectly captures the warmth and connection between Billie Eilish, her music, and her audience, making the whole experience feel heartfelt and immersive.
Whilst it may take some time to adjust to, Cameron’s vision for a 3D concert film ultimately proves successful. I often feel 3D effects are redundant in many films, but here they genuinely heighten the experience. At points, I even found myself wondering how they had managed to get confetti inside the cinema. The lighting and visual elements of the staging are given their own space on screen, becoming a striking feature in their own right rather than just a backdrop to the performance.
This results in a phenomenal watch; the performance and staging, combined with Cameron’s craft, create an utterly beautiful, high-energy cinematic experience, one that anyone can appreciate, whether they’re a fan of Eilish or not. If there’s one thing for sure, the standard for concert films has now been raised.
★★★★ 1/2
In cinemas 8th May / Billie Eilish, James Cameron, FINNEAS, Dave Murray / Dir: James Cameron, Billie Eilish / Paramount Pictures / 12A
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