Of all the films I watched over and over again the most as a kid, Beauty and the Beast is probably tied with The Emperor's New Groove for that honor. I liked Star Wars and some super hero flicks, but in all honesty, along with Finding Nemo and Toy Story (if you're seeing a pattern - it's because you are. Disney was where it was at, people), Beauty and the Beast was a top pick for an afternoon movie viewing. So needless to say, I wasn't sure what I would think of a live action adaption of this childhood favorite. After finally getting around to seeing it, I still wasn't sure of what I had just seen at first. Getting home from the theater, I had very mixed feelings.
A lot to process, this film has given me the most to think about and to say of all my reviews and will undoubtedly be the longest so far, as I am very attached to the original. I'll do my best to condense all the different opinions I have on this film - the good, the bad, and the head scratchers.
Stuff I liked (pros)
- Firstly, the film felt original. Fresh. It stood on its own. It wasn't trying to be exactly like the 1991 original. They adapted it pretty well. Wasn't perfect but overall it accomplished what most adaptions fail at: it stayed faithful to the source material while making it suitable for the live-action aspect of it.
- Atmosphere was spot on. Colors, sets, costuming, etc. It was just like the original while updating certain aspects that wouldn't have worked as well (quick example is Gaston and his look which is not exactly the same as the 1991 film).
- CGI was really well executed. Kudos to the filmmakers for taking on a daunting task like this, especially their work on the Beast which I was worried would look fake and take away a lot from the film. I will admit, CGI and motion capture have come a long way; in the film, the Beast had a wider range of facial expressions, allowing for more emotional depth, and (along with Dan Stevens' terrific performance) they were able to paint the picture of a man stuck inside a monster's body, which added a human element to the character lacking in the 1991 version.
- Something I really really liked was the added scenes/dialogue between Belle and the Beast which added much depth to their relationship. I was able to take so much more from their characters, especially Beast.
- Similarly, the chemistry between Emma Watson (Belle) and Dan Stevens was off the charts. With one of the two being part CG/part Mo Cap, it's certainly not any easier generating sparks for a pair when there's big, clunky gray suits and all sorts of tech involved.
- Most importantly, the cast and it's characters were strong and despite featuring a huge cast that needed to be juggled around to boot, the script was I'd say pretty well handled. Aside from one character, I was by the end satisfied with the way the majority of the characters were handled. As I mentioned earlier, the film felt original; the characters were a big part of that. Whether it was the Beast, Lumiere, Maurice, or Gaston (there were more good characters, I just won't name them all), the new takes on each character were for the better. At first I sat back and wondered what they were doing, thinking "Uh-oh. That's not the same Lumiere I grew up with", but I then thought I should see where the filmmakers were going with the changes - lo and behold, it was mostly for the better. Mostly. Stand out performances include: Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, Ewan Mcgregor, Stanley Tucci, and Sir Ian McKellen.
- Dan Stevens was the best part of this film. Hands down. I noted earlier the development in technology, but without a strong performance, the creators have nothing to work with. Just ask anyone who has worked with the King of motion capture Andy Serkis if he makes their jobs ten times easier. All signs point to them saying yes. Stevens and his character were a huge surprise as I never really related to the Beast as a kid despite him being the lead male role. It was always Belle's character I understood and could grab ahold of. With a performance that blended mystery, scare, charm, one liners, comedic timing (yes he makes one liners and jokes that are great), and an overall depth to the character that I'd never thought possible with this prince-turned beast, Stevens stood out in a film jam packed with popular characters and A-list actors. Add in a script for the character that complimented him in every way and you've got a leading man in this "Disney Princess" film that young boys who were my age when I watched the '91 version can relate to and think of as a hero by the end of it.
Oh. And who knew Stevens could sing like that? Dang...
Dan Stevens stands out as the titular Beast, adding much needed character depth and with a great script, develops the role much further than done in the original.
- Last but absolutely not least is the scene that helped me decide if I thought this was a good movie or not (and it ties in with the Dan Stevens thought): "Forevermore" - Wow. Just wow. The movie is moving to the finale right? The thought never even crossed my mind that the Beast hadn't had his own solo because of course he never had one in the original and this wasn't based off of the musical (where he has the best song of the show: "If I Can't Love Her"). Belle saddles up to rescue her father who is in trouble, and the Beast watches from afar in his tower, knowing he did the right thing despite it most likely killing his chance at humanity for both himself and everyone in the castle. Music starts playing and my mind is assuming it's just filler to transition from the castle to the village. Well. I was dead wrong. Suddenly Stevens starts singing and I immediately jolted in my seat with excitement. I knew it wasn't his famous broadway song, but as the song continued, it connected with me. Being part of a musical family myself, I've been taught correct technique for singing and acting on stage. Stevens did everything right. From his movements, to his voice (I mean wow), it's everything you're taught by vocal/acting instructors to do when performing a solo song. The cinematography was great, creating the "bigness" of the song that compliments the bigness of Stevens' voice, movements, and his overall stature (I mean he's a seven foot beast for crying out loud). As he kept singing, I hoped it would keep going. What adds to the appeal of the song is a couple of things:
1. If the character of the Beast was more two-dimensional like the original, it would have taken a lot away from the moment despite Stevens' voice.
2. It's an original, and when musicals come up with great originals it's always awesome. La La Land was a prime example of that. Yeah we all love "Be Our Guest", or "Beauty and the Beast", but to be pleasantly surprised by this song that I'd never heard took the film to a whole different level for me.
And honestly, this might be one of my favorite songs released over the last couple years.
Stuff I didn't like so much (cons)
- The pacing was umm... yeah. That bad. It's what held the film back in every sense of the word. Especially the first act. They rushed right through it. Between the speed of everything and the scenes that were either trimmed or cut out entirely, it brought the film down a lot. And I mean a lot a lot. It wasn't nearly as enjoyable to watch because of that. All the beautiful sets and moments were rushed and/or cut short, not allowing the viewer to soak it all in. Now that's something the original got right. A good film needs a great opening, especially musicals with their opening number. And "Belle" is a great opening. Yeah they completely butchered it. It isn't similar at all to the original. Between Belle's dialogue with the villagers, or more importantly Gaston (they did not have nearly enough time together), it was obvious they wanted to skip right to her time at the castle. And in regards to Gaston and Belle, you're supposed to be annoyed by Gaston for his nonstop nagging of Belle. That's not really there either. They get you to actually like Gaston but not really care about him in any way. As a kid I would rejoice every time he met his doom. Yeah, that was "whatever" with this. And while I mentioned how great the added scenes were between Belle and Beast, that meant cutting more elsewhere (I guess). And that hurt other subplots and character developments. All I can say is, the movie felt short despite it's 139 minute run time and I would've have totally been cool with another twenty minutes of dialogue and overall character development. Extended cut, anyone? I mean they're all the rage now. Jk.
- Belle. I know I know, a lot (and I mean a lot) of you will not just disagree but be up in arms about this. But I was really disappointed by the film and Watson's take on the character. I mentioned earlier that there were a lot of changes to the roles; this was one I didn't love. As a character she was actually good and Watson performed well. I just didn't like the character. It's definitely because I'm attached to the original. Belle was by far the best character in the original and I've always related to her, her ideals, and everything that drove her. That was not there for me. The whole movie I could buy that the other characters were parallels to the original despite the changes made to them, but not Belle. The entire time I saw her I would think "It's just not Belle. I'm sorry it's not." If I had to pick a favorite Disney princess it would be Belle without a doubt for reasons I previously mentioned. Add to that her singing was too "pop" sounding and her voice almost sounded fake, like it didn't belong. Maybe they edited it too much? I don't know. Maybe it was her fault. I really couldn't tell ya. Don't get me wrong, she's got a good voice, just not right for the role in my opinion.
And one more note to Belle, her character in the original was the protagonist with the Beast acting as support to Belle and was there to allow us to see Belle and who she was. It was completely reversed this time with Beast feeling like the protagonist and Belle acting as the support for his character. I loved Beast in this don't get me wrong. But I think they still could have done better with Belle.
All in all, Belle was a huge disappointment for me. Real bummer.
- There was most definitely a lack of energy during the bigger numbers. Whether it's "Gaston" or "Be our Guest", the dance and excitement from the original was lacking. Both of those numbers felt a bit rushed, so whatever excitement and entertainment the scenes did have were cut short.
- I mentioned the opening as a not so good one; I'll also add to that the finale, which lacked the "oomph" and intensity of the original. The castle fight was cool but the fight between Beast and Gaston was meh. I was not engaged at all during it. And the big change afterwards was quick and did not have any weight to it. "Oh you're human". That's how it felt. The original really milked that moment (along with the duel between the two lead men), making it big and dramatic.
Stuff that wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either
- Lefou was likable but I wish he would've had some more comical moments as that's the point of his character. He had some very funny lines and he was fun all in all. But they definitely could've done more.
- "Be Our Guest" was big and grand and I liked that, but like a lot of the movie, it was rushed through and I couldn't take in all the awesomeness of that number.
Ewan Mcgregor is fun and charming as the dashing Lumiere, and helped to bolster "Be Our Guest", a number that was big, grand, and a spectacle to behold, despite being rushed through.
All in all, Beauty and the Beast is an incredibly bumpy ride due to bad pacing, but does its best to even out with it's sets, grand colors, fun and well sung numbers, and a huge cast (a well performing cast at that) helping to keep the film somewhat afloat. It's a film that would have received no more than six stars from me but is saved by a charismatic performance from it's lead Dan Stevens, who masterfully brings emotion and complexity to his role, (along with a powerful solo number) bringing the movie from "ok" to "good" and in the end making it completely worth the watch, adding another fun flick to Disney's new collection of live-action adaptations.
I know it's early, but I'm totally down for giving Dan Stevens a Golden Globe nod for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy.
Anyone else? No? Ok...
Final Grade: 7/10
Agree? Disagree? A little of both? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below and subscribe for more content like this!