Amazon.com reviews for
Evita (1996) More at IMDbPro »

Evita (dvd):

Amazon.com video review: After more than a decade of false starts and several potential directors, the popular Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical finally made it to the big screen with Alan Parker (The Commitments) at the helm and Madonna in the coveted title role of Argentina's first lady, Eva Perón. A triumph of production design, costuming, cinematography, and epic-scale pageantry, the film follows the rise of Eva Perón to the level of supreme social and political celebrity in the 1940s. Like Madonna, Perón was a material girl (she was only 33 when she died); she was instrumental in the political success of her husband, Juan Perón (Jonathan Pryce). But Eva was also a supremely tragic figure whose life was essentially hollow at its core despite the lavish benefits of her nearly goddess-like status. The film has a similar quality--it's visually astonishing but emotionally distant, and benefits greatly from the singing commentary of Ché (Antonio Banderas), who serves as a passionate chorus to guide the viewer through the elaborate parade of history. --Jeff Shannon

Evita (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: This long-awaited adaptation of the Broadway musical, directed by Alan Parker (Fame, The Commitments), features Madonna in her award-winning performance as Eva Peron, the controversial and inspirational First Lady of Argentina, as well as the score from the long-running Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. The story of Peron's rise to power with her husband (Jonathan Pryce) is narrated in song by peasant insurrectionist Che (Antonio Banderas), as Evita's glamour, poise, and ultimate tragedy inspire a nation in the midst of political and social upheaval. The film is a powerful one, visually stunning and epic in its scope, and yet highly emotional in both the well-known songs and the performances. Pryce portrays a deeply flawed man, ruthless and yet devoted to his wife. Banderas is a swashbuckling figure, instilling passion in the heart of Eva Peron. And Madonna gives a strong and commanding performance as a woman who loves her husband and loves her people but must fight the stirring passion inside her. Featuring "You Must Love Me," an Academy Award-winning song written for the film, Evita is vivid and powerful entertainment for people who love musicals for both stage and screen. --Robert Lane

Evita (Widescreen Edition) (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: After more than a decade of false starts and several potential directors, the popular Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice musical finally made it to the big screen with Alan Parker (The Commitments) at the helm and Madonna in the coveted title role of Argentina's first lady, Eva Perón. A triumph of production design, costuming, cinematography, and epic-scale pageantry, the film follows the rise of Eva Perón to the level of supreme social and political celebrity in the 1940s. Like Madonna, Perón was a material girl (she was only 33 when she died); she was instrumental in the political success of her husband, Juan Perón (Jonathan Pryce). But Eva was also a supremely tragic figure whose life was essentially hollow at its core despite the lavish benefits of her nearly goddess-like status. The film has a similar quality--it's visually astonishing but emotionally distant, and benefits greatly from the singing commentary of Ché (Antonia Banderas), who serves as a passionate chorus to guide the viewer through the elaborate parade of history. --Jeff Shannon