Great Film overall

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

I brought a friend to see this show; I was excited to introduce him to Cirque Du Soleil (I've seen 4 of them). I found myself apologising for the show - had to explain that it shouldn't put him off seeing the others. Too much slap stick pantomime and not enough aerial skills. I was embarrassed.

fantastic colors costumes riveting physical feats...progressive in all ways including the magic music...illuminating the concept of evolving with the dream and the myth..so opposite to the world we tinker with in absolute terms...think I will begin painting again....nice article...applauds and salutations, embers creating wings..daunting oppositions ,liberating physical musical ...Varekai? well yes of course a word I have never heard before...such a collaboration ,coaxing the colors of freedom...sneaky humour tip toeing through the land mines of reality..swatting the proverbial laws of one reality...collective a war of emotion..bringing the flame revealing the pains and joys all seated in our souls individually cast into a circle of like minded pains and joys...a battle is won and a struggle worthwhile because emotion is born again and a gain...casting our hope line to the celestial firey circle of time...Poppa G. Brum

Varekai is much more than just a circus, it tells a story.There are no flaws in the performance, the acts were all done perfectly from the stunning hand balancing by Olga Pikhienko to the astonishing, gripping Icarian Dance.Olga Pikhienko is the best performer in the show, the lead female vocalist Zara Tellander also has a spectacular voice (sung Varekai 831 times)It isn't all perfect however, there will be parts that won't appeal to you but overall I think it will shock you. Not all the acts are brilliant and you can't expect that from anyone.Throughout the show there are no let downs, the music is wonderful although the sound on the DVD does not capture the energy behind it.The DVD does not quite capture the magic of seeing the show live. I have seen many Cirque du Soleil shows and Varekai is for me the best travelling show.It's definitely a must see show.

This isn't the first circus with a story I've seen, but its the best. No animal acts, clowns in minicars or individual stand alone performances, this sort of circus is highly stylized with a usually vague story, singing and music to blend one act after another.Some of the performers come from long lines of family acts, but there's also a fair number of Olympic caliber athletes looking to work their talent outside of competition. The acts are not all great, but are at least good and a few are exceptional. I thought it was pretty amazing that they are all done flawlessly in front of a live audience: Not one dropped prop, clumsy trip, dorky fall or wardrobe malfunction.I'm not often drawn to the artsy/pouffy sort of humor. It tends to be too French for me, and it just doesn't appeal. Not all things French, just their humor. Any sound effects resembling gastrointestinal activity are apparently the ultimate comedy. The least appealing parts of Varekai involved that same French humor, and knocks the score down a little. I enjoyed the other comic acts in the show, whether they were French or not.You can't beat a live circus show, but there are some advantages with watching this one on a widescreen. It was shot in HD format so it naturally takes in wider shots, and there's many angle shots, overheads and closeups that the live audience would never see. Colors are almost oversaturated but thats because so much of the circus is in bright primary colors. Varekai even has a DTS soundtrack and employs all the 5.1 system to good effect. The 2nd disc has some bio info on the performers and a short on getting selected and training for a live performance. The DVD set comes in a foldout box within a box, and gets an 8/10.