Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis

At its best, Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis works as a documentary that puts tone and performance ahead of empty explanation. Directed by Anton Corbijn, it leans on Paul McCartney and Robert Plant to give the material a human centre. At story level, Hipgnosis, story and album shape the central setup, but the later turns are best left for the film to reveal. The result has a recognisable personality from the opening stretch.

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Its best passages come from clear access and patient organisation. Rather than chasing a manufactured climax, the film lets details accumulate, and that steady approach gives the central subject more weight than a louder presentation would. That approach pays off remarkably often. The film feels assured without becoming airless, and it trusts the audience to notice details rather than explaining every intention. Even familiar material is handled with enough conviction to feel newly alive.

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The cast gives the review its clearest reason to stay engaged. Paul McCartney handles the central pressure with a welcome sense of specificity, while Robert Plant finds personality in moments that could have served only the plot. Jimmy Page adds another distinct rhythm to the ensemble. Their chemistry matters because the screenplay sometimes relies on familiar shapes; performance supplies the texture that the structure cannot provide by itself.

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Thematically, Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis is interested in who gets to shape a public story and what can be lost when complicated lives are reduced to a simple argument. Its questions are strongest when evidence and personal experience are allowed to sit beside each other without an easy conclusion. The film is most persuasive when these ideas emerge from behaviour rather than speeches. That additional layer gives the story more purpose than a sequence of familiar genre beats, even if every implication is not explored with equal depth.

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Editorial structure is crucial here. The film must provide context without burying the subject under explanation, and its better transitions connect information through theme rather than chronology alone. Archive material, interviews and observational footage are given distinct functions. The sound mix keeps voices clear, while the visual organisation makes complicated material easier to follow without pretending that it is simple.

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My main reservation is that the polish occasionally becomes visible; a beat can feel arranged for maximum effect rather than discovered by the characters. Even then, the performances recover the sense of spontaneity quickly.

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Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis is an easy recommendation for viewers who enjoy thoughtful non fiction and do not need every conclusion underlined. It combines craft with feeling and leaves enough room for the viewer to participate.