Iconic French Canadian acrobatic and gymnastic collective Cirque du Soleil leaps and twirls from the stages of Las Vegas to the big screen in this thinly conceived, but often spectacular 3-D romantic fantasy executive produced by James Cameron. The storyline (or scenario), involving a wide-eyed girl traveling through the circus' various worlds in search of the man she loves, is a halfhearted device at best, a generic variation on The Wizard of Oz, but the colorful, high flying, and mystical performances are as delightful as they are exciting for the most part, and this, of course, is why the audience is there in the first place. One highlight is an extended segment from the Beatles themed Love, including such cuts as "Octopus's Garden" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." Even at a hour and a half, the film threatens to become a tad exhausting in its second half, but it is by large enchanting and satisfying, and those interested should experience it before its theatrical exhibition comes to a close. I suspect its almost decadent musical and visual charms will be diminished to a certain extent on home video and television.

B