Disney's newest outing in live action remakes stands true to the success of the original animated film. The "tale as old as time" remains relevant to society with it's depiction of love and different levels of societal classes. Beauty and the Beast has deeper messages hidden in its storyline, but is still enjoyable as a family film filled with charm and attraction. Sticking to a storyline that has already been put to the test on the big screen can be hard, but Bill Condon's (Dreamgirls) direction gives the film a fresh setting and jaw-dropping effects. Throughout the film, animation still prevails with normally inanimate objects. Lumiere (played by Ewan McGregor [Trainspotting, Star Wars]) shines as bright as he did in the original film, and Cogsworth's (played by Ian McKellen [The Lord of the Rings]) gears turn once again in the new adaptation. The two actors for these roles heavy lifting with their voice acting roles. While McGregor was able to charm as Lumiere, I'm not sure that I buy his French accent. It was a bit over-the-top, but it did not detract too much from the film.
The best roles are saved for two very prominent actors of our time. Dan Stevens (The Guest) is unrecognizable as the beast, which is a good thing. After the opening scene, we get a scary image that takes time to gain the audience's trust. His role is much different from his other works. Stevens seems to be one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood right now.
Speaking of versatile actors, Emma Watson (Harry Potter) graces the big screen once again as an iconic Disney character. In this remake, Belle is different from the original film. This time, she is a much more empowered character. Watson's work on feminism clearly made its way into the film, proving that equality in movies is possible. No one could do a better job in this role than Watson, and no one is more fitting. Condon makes it very clear that this story is more based around Belle than it is around the beast.
Of course, this wouldn't be a Disney live action adaptation without a reworking of the original score. Usually, pre-recorded performances distract me from the screen as I watch clear lip-syncing. However, I applaud Beauty and the Beast's sound crew for making the singing look as realistic as possible. Sure it is not as authentic as the Les Miserables performances, but this is as good as it gets! The massive scale choreography is also exciting to watch as the cast dances to iconic songs such as "Belle", "Be Our Guest", and the titular song "Beauty and the Beast". Of course, "Gaston" remains as one of my favorite Disney songs ever with a job well done by Josh Gad (Frozen) and Luke Evans (Fast & Furious 6). These familiar names play off of each other with a grand stage presence. Evans is menacing as hell and Gad brings another wimpy character to life.
The Bottom Line: Beauty and the Beast brings back a tale as old as time with grandeur and charm-filled acting that could only be produced by the familiar faces in the cast.
Score: 9.3/10
The best roles are saved for two very prominent actors of our time. Dan Stevens (The Guest) is unrecognizable as the beast, which is a good thing. After the opening scene, we get a scary image that takes time to gain the audience's trust. His role is much different from his other works. Stevens seems to be one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood right now.
Speaking of versatile actors, Emma Watson (Harry Potter) graces the big screen once again as an iconic Disney character. In this remake, Belle is different from the original film. This time, she is a much more empowered character. Watson's work on feminism clearly made its way into the film, proving that equality in movies is possible. No one could do a better job in this role than Watson, and no one is more fitting. Condon makes it very clear that this story is more based around Belle than it is around the beast.
Of course, this wouldn't be a Disney live action adaptation without a reworking of the original score. Usually, pre-recorded performances distract me from the screen as I watch clear lip-syncing. However, I applaud Beauty and the Beast's sound crew for making the singing look as realistic as possible. Sure it is not as authentic as the Les Miserables performances, but this is as good as it gets! The massive scale choreography is also exciting to watch as the cast dances to iconic songs such as "Belle", "Be Our Guest", and the titular song "Beauty and the Beast". Of course, "Gaston" remains as one of my favorite Disney songs ever with a job well done by Josh Gad (Frozen) and Luke Evans (Fast & Furious 6). These familiar names play off of each other with a grand stage presence. Evans is menacing as hell and Gad brings another wimpy character to life.
The Bottom Line: Beauty and the Beast brings back a tale as old as time with grandeur and charm-filled acting that could only be produced by the familiar faces in the cast.
Score: 9.3/10
Image credit: By http://flickr.com/photos/nieve44/ - http://flickr.com/photos/nieve44/418072188/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2099783
