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Similar to how the sun rises eastward and disappears toward the west, supporters of Taylor Swift will answer the call for latest releases. Long before the financially stimulating, paradigm-shifting worldwide success of her recent world tour, Swift had developed a uniquely intense and individual connection with her audience, also within the reverential world of mainstream music. This connection, maintained via secret references, years long one-sided storylines and possibly her own metaverse, could be genuine and unique and fulfilling, a steady raft through personal challenges – I understand this. Yet several years into her imperial era, Swift’s cyclical feeding of the fan base begins to appear not so much like a two-way dedication and increasingly manipulative, the various limited releases and collector's LPs and exclusive retail releases similar to a wealth levy on her staunchest supporters.

The Most Recent Product

The most recent example is the cinematic release – or, more truthfully, an album release film for her recent release The Performer's Journey, out this Friday. Officially billed as the Album Launch Celebration of a Showgirl, it’s a collection of lyric explanations, behind-the-scenes snippets and one music video (played twice), hastily assembled into one 90-minute sitting. These are the elements other musicians would put on YouTube, but which Swift, following her proven theater revenue records with her last concert recording, chooses to release on the big screen for a limited run. Anticipating a $30 million debut across America, it will almost certainly be the most profitable release during its run – which is a shame, considering it scarcely constitutes a supplementary piece to the album, not to mention a significant addition in her extensive catalog of content.

Theater Viewing

As a movie event, The Release Celebration of a Showgirl does reflect the music it accompanies – rote, tinnily light, with the lazy execution and first-draft quality typical of an artist up against a deadline. Further evidence of what critic Spencer Kornhaber has termed Swift’s exhaustion phase. In an unpolished opening filmed direct to camera, Swift, modestly self-conscious and modest as ever, describes the film as “sort of a journey of what inspired these songs” representing a thrilling, exciting period”.

Aside from a behind-the-scenes featurette on the Fate of Ophelia music video spliced into brief parts, the event is predominantly clips that show lyrical content accompanied by a clip from the related production repeatedly. That’s fine for secondary entertainment in a social setting, but a drawback as the primary attraction for a record that is better experienced casually, its tepid soft-rock and memorably embarrassing lines allowed to wash over you without deep analysis. Perhaps one needs to be drunk; other than one holler for the astoundingly un-self-aware Cancelled!, there was silence at my sober child-friendly 3pm screening.

Lyric Insights

The artist provides each track with a quick insight of her creative approach – generally appreciated, even critics can claim it’s uninteresting – however, they mostly consist of broad statements, professed enthusiasm and avoiding controversy (for instance, obtaining rights from the George Michael estate to interpolate that particular track). The artist often avoids specifics concerning lyrics with clear subjects, but the ambiguity in this case seems particularly unnecessary. Absent is any discussion of the inspiration behind the record, the football star, despite being uncharacteristically forthcoming about their personal life in recent media appearances this week. The widely talked about and badly executed negative comment in Actually Romantic gets described as “a love letter to someone who hates you”. (Somehow, a biting “attention is affection and an abundance from you, makes it worse.) The lusty, pun-heavy that track, featuring a metaphorical tree, is billed as a track regarding beliefs accompanied by a family-friendly, suggestive look to the camera.

Relatability and Narration

The artist still manages at appearing approachable from the highest perch within the industry; she is talkative and interesting guide, if an unreliable one about her work. (This is not the energetic collection so advertised on New Heights.) This is most evident in work mode; the film’s best moments, clearly, happen as she allows focus to her creative partners – the choreographer, the movement designer, and the camera expert, plus additional team members – and to the taut metronome of filming process. These peeks behind the curtain – a moment of remote work, humor among the team, refining a take – are as fascinating as they are short and tantalizing. They glimpse both the collective and the operation behind Taylor Swift industries, the true substance behind showgirl life.

Overall Assessment

Possibly including deeper material, combining calculation with transparency, was an order too tall for Swift’s punishing schedule of lowering rewards. And perhaps loyal enthusiasts of the release – I know there are some – could see merit in this basic package of Target treats worthwhile. However, leading cinema earnings despite sparse content doesn’t make for a musical achievement. It results in one more profitable item in her business.

• The artist: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl is out in cinemas now