Here’s Why Beyoncé’s Renaissance Film Is A Testament To Artistry and Live Production – Review

When I was eight years old, one of my first few experiences of a concert came from Beyoncé. My sister and I were given a bootleg copy of The Beyoncé Experience Live, which opened my eyes to the wonder of concerts and live music. As I watched the show in awe, it stood out as a gold standard for live performances to me, even at such an early age. Eventually, as I grew up, I got to witness more concerts and live shows. I had become exposed to a variety of live performances, each with their own unique styles and approaches in translating their music into the live setting. And as stellar as some of these performances were, Beyoncé’s DVD performance (despite its low resolution) always lingered in my mind. 

With the release of Renaissance last year, Beyoncé provided the world with an auditory experience unlike any other. The critically acclaimed and award-winning record was an amalgamation of the house, ballroom, dance, and electronic genres, making it a sonic exploration of sounds that still remained true to Beyoncé and her voice. And with the cultural impact of the record, so began the Renaissance World Tour –– which audiences like myself clamored to get a glimpse of, even as we watched shaky clips from shows across the world. Yet, to our luck, Renaissance: A Film was announced, bringing the show to an even bigger audience than before. 

In its full glory, Renaissance: A Film is a visual spectacle that highlights Beyonce’s journey throughout this era of her career. Part concert film and part documentary on the process of bringing this tour to life, it’s an unbridled achievement that focuses on her artistry and commitment to putting on a show that isn’t just good, but also great. But even with everything it aims to accomplish, Renaissance: A Film is surprisingly an in-depth and intimate look at one of the biggest cultural icons in the world –– showcasing the efforts of an artist working to perfect her craft, all while juggling the balance of having a personal life amidst all the professionalism. 

While those watching the film could easily admire the awe-inspiring live performances of Beyoncé’s string of hits, seeing the creative process of how everything was prepared for the Renaissance World Tour is just as impressive as seeing her perform. Interspersed between some of the show’s performances are segments that honor the efforts of the hardworking crew backstage –– whether it’s those assembling the massive LED panels on stage, the sound engineers working overtime to perfect the show’s audio, the choreographers and dancers perfecting every movement to the rhythm, or the seamstresses who assemble every single crystal on Beyoncé’s varying bodysuits. All this astounding production behind the scenes highlights the importance of every element of putting together a live performance, which works in making the audience not just aware, but appreciative of the everyone else’s contribution to putting a phenomenal show together.

Yet for Beyoncé, balancing the role as creative director, producer, and performer is no easy task. Numerous clips and video logs feature the pop star narrating various snippets of her life, including her childhood, familial relationships, and discussions about her work ethic –– giving us the most unfiltered look at Beyoncé, not just as the artist, but as a person. With her commentary behind some of the momentous points of the show, it adds new layers of context and lore that allow viewers to see her in a new light. And together with this perspective, it allows for an even more personal approach for the Houston native to invite us in celebrating the euphoric and liberating aspects of Renaissance as a transformative ethereal experience.

As for the performance itself, Beyoncé continues to prove herself as one of the (if not the) greatest show-women on the planet. Her irresistible charm and self-assured manner of commanding the stage remain as evident as ever, even if she’s enchanting theatergoers with her spellbinding ballads such as “Dangerously In Love” or “Drunk In Love”, or performing the high-octane, choreography heavy numbers of  “Energy”, “Formation”, or “Break My Soul.” Specifically with the latter, the multi-Grammy winner never sacrifices putting some great moves on –– even while recovering from a recent knee surgery, or when belting her voice out in a manner that not many artists could dare to replicate.

Aside from her talent leveled up at full force, the former Destiny’s Child member demonstrates her artistry by utilizing other show-stopping techniques to keep audiences engaged all throughout. Various outfit changes exhibited tastefully by smooth transition cuts are just the tip of the iceberg here, as the show even features an abundance of elements that include a sparkling, diamond-encrusted horse, a giant inflatable Beyoncé in red that talks, a silver tank-like car with a pole on top, or a giant seashell to which the songstress emerges out of (akin to The Birth of Venus by Boticelli) to demonstrate the grand scale of Renaissance’s production. Yet even with how big of a presence such elements take up, it’s Beyoncé’s unparalleled artistry that still remains the focus of the show.

It could easily be said Beyoncé’s rigor, determination, and discipline as an artist is clearly unmatched, but the singer utilizes this experience as a means for imparting wisdom to viewers and artists of the next generation. By all means, it’s a celebration of talent and commitment, but also of the communal experience that her platform aims to give off. Theaters all across the world have erupted into a frenzy, celebrating the film’s release as if it were the live experience that audiences have long sought after to participate in (especially in the post-pandemic landscape). 

Renaissance: A Film could easily (and still accurately) be described as a large-scale dance party meant to celebrate a freedom of expression and love of all forms for the audience, yet still, it’s so much more than that. At it’s core, it’s a joyous means of honoring the efforts of everyone who contributed to such a magnificent production, along with the culture and artistry that doesn’t originate just from Beyoncé, but for everyone involved who paved the way for this moment to happen. It’s more than a concert film, and it’s more than a documentary –– because as a whole, it’s an astounding odyssey that encapsulates this specific period in time for music.

Now at the age of 24, I could confidently say that the previous gold standard I’ve held live performances to has been changed for the better. Witnessing Beyoncé over the years, I’ve seen that she’s refined her craft to excellence even further –– continuously changing the landscape of live performances as we know it. Without a doubt, it isn’t wise to impose any level of standards for an artist like Beyoncé. As she has proven over time, she’s limitless.

Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé is now showing in cinemas nationwide.