‘Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desert’ Review: The Eras Tour for Letterboxd Users

Music is a crucial element of film. We’ve all seen the videos of horror movie trailers being re-edited to look like comedies and vice versa, with sound making a world of difference in establishing tone. Good scores have the power to inspire and stir up emotion, and great scores cement themselves in the cultural zeitgeist — evoking those feelings with just a few notes.It’s hard to think of someone who has written more great scores than the legendaryHans Zimmer— the man behind everything fromThe Lion KingandPirates of the CaribbeantoDuneandGladiator.

What Is ‘Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desert’ About?

Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desertacts as acelebration of Zimmer’s impressive work, mixing elements of concert film and documentary. The majority of its runtime sees him perform with his band at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, though performances on location throughout Dubai’s desert and cityscape — including the iconic Burj Al Arab — are also peppered in. Threaded throughout are conversations between Zimmer and his collaborators, ranging from directors likeDenis Villeneuve,Christopher Nolan, andJerry Bruckheimerto fellow musicians likeBillie EilishandPharrell WilliamstoDunestarsTimothée ChalametandZendaya.

‘Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desert’ Is Sonically and Visually Stunning

Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desertis stunning from its first frame, which features a vocalist and percussionist against a jaw-droppingDune-esque landscape. With the beat of a drum, we’re transported from the vast desert into the arena for the first taste of concert footage,which buzzes with electric energy that manages to sustain itself for the next two and a half hours. At the center of all the colorful, pulsating strobe lights and sleek, futuristic-looking instruments is Zimmer himself, who looks like a bonafide rockstar as he commands the stage, and he’s having a blast doing it. A genuine, contagious smile never leaves his face as he gets caught up in moment after moment of watching his bandmates with a touching amount of joy and pride. You would never suspect that this is a man who had stage fright — one who had to be coaxed out from behind the film screen he proclaims tohave hidden behind for decades.

The film travels through mashups of Zimmer’s greatest hits likethe Eras Tour for people who religiously use Letterboxd. Each segment has its own unique vibe and enjoyable aspects, though there are standouts, with the more upbeat, lively songs generally tending to play better than the slower tunes. (While theGladiatorsegment is great, for example, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing, and its slower nature drags the pacing a bit.) The ever-popularPirates of the CaribbeanandThe Lion Kingpredictably bring the house down, andThe Dark KnightandDunkirkfeel like perfect fits for this kind of concert. At the risk of sounding cheesy, I’ll admit that theWonder Womansegment brought tears to my eyes, as that’s a score I always find empowering. The fact it puts the badass female musicians in the spotlight (let’s hear it for the cellist!) is a cherry on top.

Hans Zimmer adjusting dials on a soundboard in front of a window of a city skyline

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The direction and camerawork deserve a special shoutout here, too, as they manage tomake the concert feel fluid and dynamic. The fact that each band member gets the chance to shine makes it an even more meaningful ode to the collaboration element Zimmer frequently discusses. The artistry continues beyond the stage as well, especially in theInterstellarsegment. From a breathtaking floating stage effect to starry lighting, the audience truly feels transported to outer space not just sonically but visually, acting as a beautiful tribute to what Zimmer notes is his favorite collaboration with Nolan.

Matthew McConaughey as Joseph Cooper flying a spaceship in Interstellar

While the film mostly flows well, the one nitpick I have here has to do with the structure. Sometimes, Zimmer will discuss one project in an interview — seeming to tee up a certain project for the next concert segment — but we go in another direction, whichcan feel a bit jarring and unorganized. While it’s interesting to hear Zimmer and his collaborators reference different scenes, the film doesn’t intersperse any film footage to accompany it, which feels like a missed opportunity for the audience to see exactly what moment Zimmer and his collaborators are discussing.

‘Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desert’ Takes Us Into the Mind of One of Cinema’s Greatest Composers

There’s an inherent level of snobbery many people assume when talking about instrumental music, with many minds associating it with boring or inaccessible classics. Though Zimmer clearly knows his stuff, referencing anecdotes about Beethoven with ease, he outwardly despises any sense of pretension and openly admits to having impostor syndrome. Perhaps this is because he’s self-taught, foregoing a formal education in order to figure out how to get the music out of his mind on his own, or maybe he’s just a naturally humble guy. Either way, it makes him ahighlyrelatable and endearing subject, effectively humanizing a genius at his craft and showcasing some truly touching moments of vulnerability, even though it might not always go quite as deep as one might hope.

Still, the interviews woven through the performances are illuminating and engaging. Zimmer’s conversation with Chalamet proves particularly rich, as we also get a sense of how Chalamet utilizes Zimmer’s work to get into character, his songs are integral to his acting process. It’s inspiring to hear how Zimmer’s warm and welcoming attitude gave Eilish confidence when the two collaborated on theNo Time to Diesoundtrack. We’re left with the sense thatZimmer is not passing the torch but rather eager to help people like her and Finneas light their ownand have new things illuminated to him in the process. (Through this exchange, we also get the added bonus of learning that Zimmer is apparently aBarbiefan — as if we needed any more validation that he is a man of impeccable taste).

Hans Zimmer playing guitar with his violinist on stage with colorful lights behind them

Zimmer has an obvious respect for his collaborators, and that respect is something that extends to his listeners as well. Not only does he walk offstage at one point in order to play among his fans, but the revelation that he writes every song for an imaginary, hardworking woman named Doris is something that has the potential to sound rather silly on paper but ends up being extremely moving in the context of the film. Zimmer says that when he writes music, he is either aiming at the feet or the heart — in other words,he wants to make people get up in dance or feel something deeply. ThroughoutHans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desert, you will absolutely find yourself experiencing both over and over again. Not only will you get to revisitold favoritesand feelings, but you’ll be taken to places you’ve never been before. Thus is the power of music and the magnificent, inimitable Hans Zimmer.

Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desertis in select theaters starting March 19th.