Becoming Led Zeppelin (2025)

Praises this authorized documentary for focusing on the music, influences, and formation of the band rather than gossip. Highlights the vivid personalities of Page, Plant, and Jones in interviews, strong archival footage including Bonham material, and the sheer power of the music presented.

Describes the film as an exhilarating, hard-rocking portrait of the band’s first 18 months that channels their explosive energy with stunning footage and interviews. Notes it is rose-colored due to being authorized, omitting darker aspects like violence or discord, but still a must-see for fans.

The critic praises the revelatory documentary for its archive material and insights into the band's early days and success in America, highlighting Jimmy Page's role and the focus on music over myths. They note it deserves a sequel but mention it might be slightly too long with too much concert footage.

The film provides a pleasing, detailed account of Led Zeppelin's early years through insightful interviews with surviving members and strong archive material. Director Bernard MacMahon tracks their rise effectively but offers little drama or obstacles, with a narrow focus that will still please hardcore fans via its concert footage.

The critic describes the authorized documentary as a thoroughly researched but sanitized look at the band’s early years that deliberately avoids scandals, excess, and later history. They single out the excellent IMAX sound and live performance footage for praise while noting it leaves out key production and cultural context details.

The critic notes the rockumentary sidesteps scandal and the band's later excesses to focus on the musicianship and rise to success in an official biography. It honours the band's early masterly performances and sound while acknowledging the deliberate omissions.

The critic finds the authorised documentary an enjoyable if truncated look at Led Zeppelin's early years up to 1969, with strong archive footage and warm interviews that make the music hard to resist. They note it avoids the band's later controversies and more colourful history, leaving the film likable but ultimately unsatisfying.

Finds the smooth assemblage of new and archival material an appealing origin story that sketches the band members’ backgrounds and how they joined forces. Notes the focus on youthful self-invention before fame and the anchoring role of a newly uncovered Bonham audio interview alongside contemporary chats.

The review praises the film's sonically impressive and visually arresting presentation of the band's origins and live power. It criticises the authorised account for omitting tales of tension, excess and behind-the-scenes revelations.

Calls the authorized profile timid and far from revelatory despite new interviews with the surviving members, criticizing the lack of other voices or deeper historical context. Praises the music’s power and some charming moments but notes it ends just as things get interesting and misses the band’s danger and excess.

The documentary offers a focused, engaging look at Led Zeppelin's formation and early years through new interviews with the surviving members and archival audio from John Bonham. Director Bernard MacMahon effectively weaves personal stories and influences while the IMAX-scale concert footage stands out as particularly powerful and mesmerizing.

The critic describes the film as a ruthlessly efficient, largely enjoyable reflection on the band's early years and the first official documentary about them. They praise the inclusion of early concert footage allowed to unfold in full without fast cuts, while noting a minor complaint about some contextual archival clips.

The critic finds the documentary leaden and overlong, catering exclusively to superfans with excessive interviews and performances that fail to engage new viewers. It singles out the self-aggrandizing focus on the band's early influences and sonic details for complaint.