Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

With practically no negative characters, this sweet feel-good comedy has a heart advocating for the positive values and diversity of Europe, and it’s peppered with apt jokes on social issues (the relationship of Icelanders to Americans; there are no gays in Russia, etc.). I found it genuinely moving and delightful. I’m giving it a fourth star probably because I have a great fondness for Iceland (I only saw Húsavík in the fog and rain despite a two-day wait for better weather) and because I’m one of the few people I know who doesn’t mind Will Ferrell, who co-wrote and co-produced this one, thus confirming his well-deserved position at the top of the genre. (06/08/2021)

I love watching Eurovision, so I was quite looking forward to this comedy. After watching it, however, I am a little disappointed. Some of the situations made me laugh, but the wacky humor, sometimes bordering on awkwardness, is too much for my taste. I wish there had been more musical performances, as a few of them were really good. (60%) (06/14/2021)

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is a feature film about the most famous music competition in the world, and it's basically a very dumb comedy with the typically over-the-top Will Ferrell and the endearingly goofy Rachel McAdams, but it does have some noteworthy scenes and moments that are both casually entertaining and pleasantly surprising. The basic structure of the story couldn’t be any more cliched, but it's spiced up by the Eurovision setting and the beautiful landscape of Iceland. The running time could have been a little shorter and some scenes could have been cut, but I was really glad for the cameos from previous Eurovision winners, the line with the elves and Demi Lovato. Besides that, the film takes a humorous shot at European countries, like the "zero" incidence of the 4%-people in Russia, the hatred of Europeans towards Americans, and the mention of the Eastern Bloc. The musical numbers were good and the audience could actually enjoy Eurovision at least in a sense, since it was cancelled this year. (07/03/2020)

I had no idea about this movie, but thanks to Pam Rabbit’s interview, this registered and I definitely didn't expect it to be such a great piece. Will Ferrell is a favourite of mine, the perfect Rachel McAdams isn't lost here either and if someone had told me that a bland family comedy like this would be so great, I wouldn't have believed it. The theme alone, with Iceland sending its most miserable duo to Eurovision after all the other "better" contestants die in a boat explosion, is excellent. Ferrel and McAdams are the perfect duo, their chemistry is enjoyable and watching two Icelandic rednecks is just phenomenal. We get countless scenes with TERRIBLE humour, pretty much the way Ferrel likes it (the elves are a total top!!) and the film simply entertains. The perfect cherry on the cake is the finale, which manages to caress the soul and made me inwardly cheer as well, and that's a definite achievement for such a flick. Personally, I'm a bit disappointed that the middle third takes the foot off the gas a bit on the entertainment and goes down a rather dramatic route, but this is rectified at the end and until the performance in the finale, it is once again perfect. Objectively a 3*, but I have to add a star here as Ferrel is a god and the fact he pushed his script with totally wacky humour, pulled Rachel into it and made such an enjoyable family trendy comedy just deserves a round of applause. (03/04/2024)

The central storyline has been used through the copy paper many times, and some plot points, such as the actions and motivations of the main villain, seem completely random and written entirely to anger movie-goers. Still, when you watch the awkward out-of-place characters of Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams trying to fulfill their dreams, and Pierce Brosnan’s futile attempt at a Nordic accent, the whole outsider-pop thing has to soften your heart to some extent. This movie is an undemanding no-brainer and at the same time an alright easy-to-follow musical fluff, nothing more, nothing less. (02/15/2021)