Beauty and the Beast (2017)
3/5
Directed by: Bill Condon
Rated PG
Once upon a time, Disney produced a beautiful animated classic. More than 25 years later, they brought their piece from the page onto the silver screen as a live action movie. From 2D hand drawings into 3D live action shots, this Disney classic has been revamped and modified for contemporary audiences. In most ways it is drastically different from its predecessor, but in every way it is still the beloved tale as old as time.
Beauty and the Beast's standout element is its remarkable cast of memorable characters. The two titular characters are portrayed with honesty, realism, and a touch of enchantment. Emma Watson's performance as the beloved Belle is a delight. She adds an air of intuition and thoughtfulness in all of her scenes. Dan Stevens' Beast is vengeful and terrifying, but he slowly becomes something tender and passionate. Heroes are great, but what's a Disney film without a great Disney villain? Beauty and the Beast has one such detestable rogue audiences around the world will love to hate. Luke Evans plays the brawny hunk, Gaston. He overtakes all of his scenes with his devilish smile, and his narrow minded determination to win Belle's heart. Both suave and abhorred, Luke Evans' performance is hard to forget.
In addition to this stunning main cast, there are several fantastic performances amongst the supporting cast. Ewan McGregor and Ian McKellen are the classic comic duo of Lumiere and Cogsworth (respectively). These two can brighten up any scene, with their perfectly timed back and forth banter and hilarious French accents. Kevin Kline plays Belle's father, Maurice, and his earnestness and loving heart will endear both the young and old. Emma Thompson is the loving and gentle Mrs. Potts. Stanley Tucci plays the magnificent and slightly out of tune Maestro Cadenza. Audra McDonald plays the flamboyant and operatic dresser, Madame Garderobe. Josh Gad plays Gaston's infatuated and morally conflicted sidekick, LeFou. Every single one of these actresses and actors plays their role with vitality, and gives their characters a unique personality.
The cast' performances' are remarkable, but their singing is less than what is expected from a Disney musical. The two title characters are auto tuned, so no matter how much passion Emma Watson tries to put into her solos, it cannot stop the fact that she sounds like a robot. The orchestrations underneath the solos are far better than the singing. Composer Alan Menken has created songs worth singing and melodies impossible to forget. Audience members who own the soundtrack will most likely listen to the irresistible score more than the sub par vocal arrangements.
This film's visual design is astonishing. The castle appears as torn and tormented as the Beast's heart. Though it crumbles under its own weight, and is haggard and beaten by the winds from the west, it remains stalwart and is ever alluring. Within the castle is something far more exquisite, a wide array of gorgeous rooms and stark towers. This desolate and serene setting gives this film its own personalized visual appeal.
The uniqueness of this visual design is also illustrated, through the film's visual effects. For the most part, the CGI compliments this aesthetic. Though there are moments when the castle's cursed servants appear as life like as Emma Watson, there are other moments when they appear as flat and fake as their hand drawn counterparts. The Beast' presence is never felt on screen. His face is unfortunately composed of too much computer graphics imaging that it is difficult to look past and see his rare conveyances of humane and realistic emotion.
The story of Beauty and the Beast is relatively the same as the animated classic, although there are some major changes in this retelling. Without spoilers, the opening monologue is read by an alto instead of a bass, Gaston is far more insidious, the Beast is less angry, there are new songs, and certain story elements have been removed or changed. These changes will distract avid fans of the Disney classic, but they may not annoy newcomers who see Beauty and the Beast as an individual film.
Verdict: Beauty and the Beast is a charming fairy tale filled with delightful characters, an insidious villain, impressive orchestrations, beautiful set design, and considerably well animated visual effects.
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