Becoming Led Zeppelin
It interested me more than I expected, considering that Led Zeppelin is not among my favorite bands. It did not change my perception of the group or suddenly turn me into an absolute fan, but it did seem like a quite enjoyable documentary, especially when it lets the music, the archive and that feeling of watching four enormous musicians begin to become something much bigger than themselves do the talking.
The best thing is, without a doubt, the musical material. There the documentary has a force that does not need much explanation. When the performances, rehearsals, recordings, concert fragments and that brutal energy of the early years appear, you understand perfectly why Led Zeppelin became what they became. Even if you do not place the band on your personal altar, the power is there: Jimmy Page's guitar, Robert Plant's voice, John Paul Jones's foundation and John Bonham's almost animal punch form an impressive machine.
I also liked that it focuses on the beginnings. There is something attractive in seeing where each one came from, how their paths crossed and how the band was born almost like an inevitable explosion. It works well as an origin story: childhood, learning, craft, session work, blues, rock, ambition and that mixture of talent and opportunity that eventually crystallizes into a gigantic band. In that sense, it is clear, orderly and rewarding to watch.
Jimmy Page appears as the architect of the group, someone with experience, vision and a very concrete idea of what he wanted to build. Robert Plant brings a wilder, more instinctive energy, more body and throat. Jones remains a tremendously complete musician, with a quiet intelligence, and Bonham an almost animal force. For someone who is not a closed fan, that portrait of the four as different but necessary pieces is one of the most valuable aspects.
That said, the seams of an authorized documentary are very visible. It is too clean, too controlled, too comfortable with the legend. You can feel that it wants to celebrate the birth of Led Zeppelin more than question it. There are hardly any gray areas, uncomfortable conflicts or any truly critical gaze. Everything is told from enthusiasm, admiration and the idea that what matters is the music. And that works, but it also limits it.
I would have liked a little more risk. I do not mean gossip or cheap sensationalism, but more context, more friction, more questions. The story of a band like this cannot be only talent, concerts and meteoric rise. There is also industry, appropriation, excess, power relations, press, ego and contradictions that are left out here or passed over very lightly. The documentary chooses to tell the founding myth, not to dismantle it or complicate it too much.
It also seemed to me that, although the beginning and development are enjoyable, the accumulation weighs a little in the second half. There is a lot of music, a lot of archive and a lot of admiration, but not always the same narrative tension. As a documentary for fans it must be a joy; for those of us who enter from a certain distance, it can feel somewhat excessive. Not boring, but a little locked inside its own tribute.
The ending leaves a curious sensation, almost that of an incomplete story. I understand the intention to focus only on the birth and early consolidation, but just when the band seems ready to enter its most gigantic stage, the documentary stops. That makes sense because of the title, but it is also a little frustrating. It has prepared you for an enormous story and then decides to stay at the doorway. It works more as a first chapter than as a definitive portrait.
Even so, I came away with a good impression. Not because it seemed like the great definitive Led Zeppelin documentary, but because it has powerful music, spectacular archive material and a narrative clarity that lets you enjoy it even without being an absolute fan. It is conventional, yes; very authorized, also; a little too respectful, without a doubt. But when those songs sound and those young bodies appear playing as if they were opening a crack in rock, the documentary finds its reason for being.
In the end, it remains for me a notable and very enjoyable documentary, although limited by its own reverence. I liked it more when it observes the birth of a musical energy than when it tries to protect the legend. It did not turn me into a fan, but it did help me better understand the band's impact and enjoy its beginnings with more interest than I expected. For Led Zeppelin lovers it will be almost mandatory; for the rest, a powerful, neat and somewhat incomplete look at a musical explosion that is hard to deny.
The best thing is, without a doubt, the musical material. There the documentary has a force that does not need much explanation. When the performances, rehearsals, recordings, concert fragments and that brutal energy of the early years appear, you understand perfectly why Led Zeppelin became what they became. Even if you do not place the band on your personal altar, the power is there: Jimmy Page's guitar, Robert Plant's voice, John Paul Jones's foundation and John Bonham's almost animal punch form an impressive machine.
I also liked that it focuses on the beginnings. There is something attractive in seeing where each one came from, how their paths crossed and how the band was born almost like an inevitable explosion. It works well as an origin story: childhood, learning, craft, session work, blues, rock, ambition and that mixture of talent and opportunity that eventually crystallizes into a gigantic band. In that sense, it is clear, orderly and rewarding to watch.
Jimmy Page appears as the architect of the group, someone with experience, vision and a very concrete idea of what he wanted to build. Robert Plant brings a wilder, more instinctive energy, more body and throat. Jones remains a tremendously complete musician, with a quiet intelligence, and Bonham an almost animal force. For someone who is not a closed fan, that portrait of the four as different but necessary pieces is one of the most valuable aspects.
That said, the seams of an authorized documentary are very visible. It is too clean, too controlled, too comfortable with the legend. You can feel that it wants to celebrate the birth of Led Zeppelin more than question it. There are hardly any gray areas, uncomfortable conflicts or any truly critical gaze. Everything is told from enthusiasm, admiration and the idea that what matters is the music. And that works, but it also limits it.
I would have liked a little more risk. I do not mean gossip or cheap sensationalism, but more context, more friction, more questions. The story of a band like this cannot be only talent, concerts and meteoric rise. There is also industry, appropriation, excess, power relations, press, ego and contradictions that are left out here or passed over very lightly. The documentary chooses to tell the founding myth, not to dismantle it or complicate it too much.
It also seemed to me that, although the beginning and development are enjoyable, the accumulation weighs a little in the second half. There is a lot of music, a lot of archive and a lot of admiration, but not always the same narrative tension. As a documentary for fans it must be a joy; for those of us who enter from a certain distance, it can feel somewhat excessive. Not boring, but a little locked inside its own tribute.
The ending leaves a curious sensation, almost that of an incomplete story. I understand the intention to focus only on the birth and early consolidation, but just when the band seems ready to enter its most gigantic stage, the documentary stops. That makes sense because of the title, but it is also a little frustrating. It has prepared you for an enormous story and then decides to stay at the doorway. It works more as a first chapter than as a definitive portrait.
Even so, I came away with a good impression. Not because it seemed like the great definitive Led Zeppelin documentary, but because it has powerful music, spectacular archive material and a narrative clarity that lets you enjoy it even without being an absolute fan. It is conventional, yes; very authorized, also; a little too respectful, without a doubt. But when those songs sound and those young bodies appear playing as if they were opening a crack in rock, the documentary finds its reason for being.
In the end, it remains for me a notable and very enjoyable documentary, although limited by its own reverence. I liked it more when it observes the birth of a musical energy than when it tries to protect the legend. It did not turn me into a fan, but it did help me better understand the band's impact and enjoy its beginnings with more interest than I expected. For Led Zeppelin lovers it will be almost mandatory; for the rest, a powerful, neat and somewhat incomplete look at a musical explosion that is hard to deny.
Mini Review: It interested me more than I expected, considering that Led Zeppelin is not among my favorite bands. It did not change my perception of the group or suddenly turn me into an absolute fan, but it did seem like a quite enjoyable documentary, especially when it lets the music, the archive and that feeling of watching four enormous musicians begin to become something much bigger than themselves do the talking. The best thing is, without a doubt, the...