Taylor Swift ended the “reputation” era with a bang, as the “Reputation Stadium Tour” became the top-grossing tour in North America in 2018 with $277.3 million and broke her own record of highest-grossing tour by a woman.
As a celebration of the success of her tour, Swift released “Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour” on Netflix on Dec. 31, 2018, giving attendees who went to one of her shows a chance to relive a night of vibrant color and loud music, and fans who were unable to attend the concert the ability to watch every single moment from the comfort of their own homes.
Aside from songs about her love life and past feuds, Swift has been known as a performer who holds nothing back during concerts. From giving fans light up bracelets that change color according to the mood of each song to the eighty foot snake statue that rises while Swift performs “Look What You Made Me Do,” concert-goers were left in awe at the spectacle and eye for stage design Swift is well-known for.
What set apart Swift’s concert film was its goal for the viewer to feel as if they had attended the concert in person. Performances were shot from multiple angles, from Swift flying to her second stage and looking down at the audience while performing “Delicate” to the audience’s reaction to more extravagant parts of the show, such as bright fireworks during “Shake it Off” and “I Did Something Bad.” Having been shot in high-definition, every moment was clearly captured, giving the viewer at home the same experience as one of Swift’s concert-goers would have had.
Although the film successfully executed shooting a concert full of color, emotion and excitement, the film would have been made more personalized if there were more behind-the-scenes moments of the tour. While the end credits show some dance rehearsals and Swift discussing the stage with her stage crew, it seemed like something put together at the last minute to add more time. If there were more in-depth interviews with Swift’s backup dancers or further explanation on how Swift was able to fly from stage to stage, the film would have better captured the work Swift put into her tour and the close relationships she built with her fellow performers.
Overall, Swift’s Netflix special showed the grandiosity of the tour and Swift’s skills as a performer. Swift successfully said farewell to the “reputation” era through the film, leaving fans wondering how she will be able to outdo herself for the next chapter of her career.
4.5/5
