'It Might Get Loud' Mixes Three Very Different Guitarists

Davis Guggenheim's new documentary features three musicians of different generations and explores their love of rock music. According to USA Today, Guggenheim chose Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, U2's The Edge, and the White Stripes' Jack White.

The film features interviews with the individual guitarists at each of their hometowns before bringing the three together to chat and play. Sarah Ball of Newsweek refers to the result as "a solemn study of one of the country's most influential instruments, and the rare magic of which it's capable."

Each of the musicians reveal their reasons for playing, their inspirations when they were young, and the experimental techniques that led to each band's distinctive sound. Part of the documentary also focuses on their guitars—the instruments of their passion.

According to Reuters, the best part of "It Might Get Loud" is the trio's interactions with each other. Each guitarist has a very different style and different values. On the way to meet Page and Edge, White said, "What's gonna happen? Probably a fist-fight." Edge sits among piles of wires and says "I'm very interested in what hardware can do to an electric guitar sound," while White calls technology "a big destroyer of emotion and truth."

"It Might Get Loud" is set for limited release in the U.S. on Aug. 14.