Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away

The celebrated Canadian circus company takes viewers on a journey through several of their well-known shows, linked here by a story of one girl's love for a trapeze artist. Mia (Erica Linz) is entranced by the acrobatic exploits of The Aerialist (Igor Zaripov), and when the circus ring magically sucks him into a mysterious underworld, she follows him to the other side. Cue a series of excerpts from such Cirque "greatest hits" as Kà, Mystère, Zumanity and a lengthy sequence from The Beatles Love. It's all beautifully choreographed, the performers are remarkable and the set design is wonderful, but even in 3D, writer/director Andrew Adamson's film lacks the exhilarating thrill of seeing the shows live. Close-ups and camera angles suggest that multiple takes and edits were required, and as a result much of the theatrical energy of the original stage presentations is lost.