Hamilton

     Does this even count as a movie review?  Eh, I don’t know, but I don’t care.  This “movie” is too much fun not to talk about!
     Disney+ has dropped the hit Broadway hip-hop musical Hamiton on its streaming platform, just in time for the 4th of July.  The story centers around Alexander Hamilton, one of the lesser-known Founding Fathers of the United States.  We witness Hamilton’s rise to stature in the colonies to his career as a politician after signing the Declaration of Independence, as well as his family life.  It’s not as boring as it sounds.  This isn’t like your high school history class.  This retelling of history is fast, frantic, exciting, and really quite an impressive production as a whole.  Quite frankly, I’m impressed with how invested in the story I was, considering the premise sounds like another school lesson.  Instead, the music explores the thoughts, dreams, and desires of not only Hamilton but the people around him as well.  There’s a really amazing part where they show a scenario and then rewind it to show it from someone else’s point-of-view.  That moment really stuck out to me because I haven’t seen a musical do that.  It was very clever, and it’s moments like that that made the performances so memorable, giving each character some unique moment to flex their vocal talents and acting abilities.  Because I wasn’t familiar with Hamilton or the people in his life, everything that was shown was fresh to me, and there were a couple of shocking moments that made me quite curious if it actually happened.  Like Togo, this story encouraged me to research history and have fun while doing it.
     A musical is only as strong as its music, and wow, this soundtrack is addictive!  That might be a weird way to describe it, but it’s true.  I’ve listened to the soundtrack many times after watching the movie.  One of my personal favorite songs is called Dear Theodosa.  It’s almost a lullaby, and it is performed beautifully.  The lyrics tugged on my heart and made me emotional because it presented the American Dream in such a unique and heartfelt way that, I think, most people can relate to.  Of course, most of the songs are hip-hop and rap, and one song that stood out for me personally was Satisfied.  I was mesmerized by not only the lyrics and composition, but also the vocal talents of the actress.  She could seamlessly go from the traditional Broadway belting to rapping at a hundred miles an hour, and it was an amazing display of musical talent.  Everyone is going to have their personal favorite song from this musical because of how different they are, but one thing that was really impressive was the incorporation of character themes throughout the musical, despite how much each song stands out on its own.  For example, Hamilton will every now and then quote his signature song My Shot during other songs, conveying to the audience his important moments.  It reminded me of Star Wars, how character themes will indicate important moments like how Darth Vader’s theme is loud and triumphant during his attacks but turns quiet and sad when he dies.  It is a musical that demands your attention with its exemplary excellence, and you will be more than happy to give it.
     The cinematography is something I think will either be appreciated or shunned depending on the individual.  On the one hand, the multiple cameras allow the viewers to see different angles of the show that they couldn’t before, and we even get close ups of the actors during pivotal moments.  On the other hand, musical performances such as this are made for your peripheral vision, taking in all of the choreography, set designs, lighting, and the experience in one view, and it seems as though they did exactly that.  I’m not 100% sure of this, but it seems like they performed the musical like it was originally intended, in front of a live audience.  However, due to the close ups and different angles, viewers can only catch glimpses of what is happening on stage at any given time.  I understand why they did it.  Watching a single shot of a musical that is over two hours might be quite boring and uninteresting, but I think the show should have been adapted for those multiple cameras.  Live performances, especially big and extravagant ones such as Hamilton, put a lot of meticulous thought and artistic flare into how to give the best viewing experience for the audience, and it’s hard to appreciate all of the show’s intricate details without actually being at the performance.
     Despite the camerawork that hampers the Broadway experience, Hamilton is an amazing work of art that captivates you as soon as it starts.  You’ll experience a fun-filled emotional roller coaster ride through history that you will remember for quite a while.  Oh, if only I had this musical when I was in history class, then the American Revolution exam would have probably been easier!