U2 - Rattle And Hum Details

Tricky One...

This is a title that perhaps is aimed more at die-hard U2 fans than casual music lovers.

There are some brilliant, live [well mostly] performances in this movie - but some parts of it are difficult to watch if you're not a fan of Bono's ever inflating ego, which gets an airing during the fly-on-the wall documentary interludes that surround the music.

That said, this movie is well made and helps chart how U2 began to evolve their sound from the 'classic U2' tracks found before Rattle & Hum towards the new direction they took up after this album.

I rate this title quite high, as it works better on DVD than it did in the cinema - simply because I can skip the bits that annoy or bore me. If you view it this way, there is some great material here to enjoy.

[Highly rated reviewer]

The most pompous band in rock

It must be said: U2 are a fabulous live act, and the footage here from the USA leg of the 'Joshua Tree' tour backs that up to the hilt. Indeed, pretty much the whole of the first half,which includes a visit to a gospel choir in Harlem, and a collaboration with BB King, is first rate. But you will need to be basically Bono's mum or wife to put up with his increasing windy posturing as the film goes on. There's no justification for his pontificating, and no real depth,either (killing people is a bad thing, apparently; so is apartheid), and it would be thoroughly boring if it weren't so funny.

Still, a very stylish film, though, beautifully shot and featuring all their best songs (up to '88).