Then came a high-fashion, geographically scrambled international romp, as dancers did flamenco, tango, Indian and Middle Eastern moves. The Spanish-language "La Isla Bonita" moved to Eastern Europe as Madonna brought out a Gypsy-style band, with fiddle and accordion. It accompanied her in the one song that exposed her voice: the ballad "You Must Love Me," with woeful sustained notes.

Madonna turned to messages: a save-the-world video that torpedoed its good intentions with overkill, juxtaposing John McCain with Hitler and Barack Obama with Gandhi. Although her outfit and a mop-with-bangs wig made her look like a bad 1970s comic-book character, Madonna was close to inspirational in an electrocharged version of "Like a Prayer," with golden-rule religious teachings projected overhead. She followed it awkwardly, with guitar-slinging rock versions of "Ray of Light" and, returning to earthly things, "Hung Up," with a feedback finish. She wants punk’s old rebel credibility.

"No one is ever going to stop me," Madonna proclaimed in her finale, "Give It 2 Me." But as the show ended, the last glimpse of Madonna was a video close-up of her sweaty, unsmiling, exhausted face. She had worked hard, and showed it.

(Reuters.com, New York Times October 6, 2008)