The music (including Ticket to Ride) is wonderful and the European scenery an eyeful, but this is ultimately a movie starring the Beatles rather than a Beatles movie, and there’s a big difference.
The simple good spirits that pervaded A Hard Day's Night are now often smothered as if everybody is desperately trying to outsmart themselves and be ultra-clever-clever. Nevertheless, Help! is a good, nimble romp with both giggles and belly-laughs.
70
Film Threat
Film Threat
Great cinema it isn’t. Great fun, great music and great company more than make up for that though.
The music, even after a quarter of a century, is the film's redemption.
50
Village VoiceAndrew Sarris
Village VoiceAndrew Sarris
Help does not indicate that Lester has depleted his bag of tricks, but rather that he is too addicted to fragmentation for its own sake. [09 Sep 1965, p.15]
50
Film Threat
Film Threat
Help! is basically five sight gags played over and over in unimaginative variations. Halfway through, the film literally runs out of steam and the second half of Help! (especially the dismally dull Bahamas scenes) can only be tolerated by the most rabid of Beatles addicts.