For the casual Iron Maiden listener like me who only knows the band by their songs, the new Malcolm Venville documentary “Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition” is worth catching in the cinemas (now showing in select New Zealand locations).
The documentary follows the five-decade odyssey of the band from performing in small spaces to filling out arenas and stadiums, as told by the band members. The majority of the history shared in “Burning Ambition” can easily be found on a Wikipedia page, but the presentation is quite earnest, as fans from different walks of life get interviewed to shout their love for Iron Maiden. The fan testimonials, which include an enthusiastic Javier Bardem, bring a unique perspective to the band outside their chosen genre.
Iron Maiden helped usher in the golden age of heavy metal during the ‘70s to ‘80s, paving the way for more contemporary acts like Metallica in the ‘90s to secure a bigger crowd. What made them stand out is the diversity of their lyrics, drawing from an immense library of literature to tell stories and challenges of the present. “Burning Ambition” could’ve been a more insightful documentary if they looked through the philosophy of their music, but they opted for a tighter running time.
It’s not every day you get to see Iron Maiden, let alone hear their songs in good cinema surround sound, so “Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition” is worth a try. It’s surface-level in terms of what it covered about the band, but as a vaguer introduction for the younger crowd, this’ll do.
“Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition” is now showing in New Zealand cinemas.
Featured images from Universal Pictures.
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