Although the film received mixed reviews, Austin Butler's "sexual" performance was praised by critics

Critics rate Elvis.

Moulin Rouge directed them! Director Baz Luhrmann stars Austin Butler in a new drama (which debuts at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday) about Elvis Presley's rise to stardom. Presley's family members praised the film on social media, but film critics were divided over whether the film was a real success.

"Rather than carving out the meaningful path that led Elvis through the story, Luhrmann simply carried him through the years on a continuous raft of music crashing at the speed of light into an endless series of biographical cliches until the next one came to a halt decades later.' writes David Ehrlich of IndieWire, added that both Luhrmann and Presley "deserved better."

However, Owen Gleiberman of Variety called Elvis "soda, delirium, intensely energetic, obsessive 2-hour, 39-minute fever dream - a carousel of seamlessly revolving films that captures the Elvis story we all carry in our heads a lush biographical biography like pop opera. ."

Whether they liked the film in general or not, most critics praised the 30-year-old Butler for portraying the late music icon. David Rooney wrote for The Hollywood Reporter: "To the great question of whether Butler can establish himself as one of the most memorable icons in American pop culture history, yes. His stage moves are sexy and hypnotizing. His mama's low quality deserves to be attacked. He captures the tragic paradox of the phenomenal success story that clings to the American dream even as it continues to crumble in his hands."

Pete Hammond of Deadline called Butler "the perfect choice," visually and vocally. But, he added, "Butler does it thrillingly, especially in the film's first half, with an authentic rhythm that makes us wonder what Elvis could have accomplished if he hadn't given in to the dark side of his fame."

In a Los Angeles Times review, Justin Chang said Butler was "a physical match worthy of Elvis and a better sound."