Beauty and the Beast Review
After plenty of hemming and hawing about how Beauty and the Beast does not need a remake, and that Disney is only making it as a cash grab, and even writing this article about it here, I suppose I should start with this — I may not be entirely right…
Let’s get this out of the way first — this live action version of Beauty and the Beast is good. I never wanted it to be bad. I just didn’t expect it to be able to add much value to the existing story.. And I will still stand by the sentiment that the trailer makes its appear to be nothing more but a shot for shot cash grab of a movie. Going into a film like this gives me an odd feeling, because from a viewers standpoint, I want to be entertained. But outside the theater, in light of the bigger picture that I’m worried Hollywood is going to take the easy route. I don’t want to see remake after remake, retelling stories that have already been told well, rather than giving new stories a chance. While I sat in my seat waiting for the show to begin, I was hopeful that the movie would surprise me. Like I said, I wanted to be entertained.
This review contains some “Spoilers” of how this movie differs from the original. Nothing massive but… you have been warned.
From the beginning, the film made an effort to differentiate itself. We still get the story of a Prince who is cursed, along with the rest of the castle’s inhabitants, after he turns away an enchantress, disguised as an old woman offering him a rose in exchange for shelter. But the live action grounds the story in its cultural identity.. I will say, in both versions of the story, it is the premise behind the curse that bothers me the most. The enchantress is basically entrapping the Prince in her curse. In this version, she even blows through the door uninvited with such a entrance, that anyone would have turned her away. Sure, it’s lightly explained that much of the Prince’s wealth is from overtaxing his people, but the enchantresses own motivations are never expressed.. My qualms with the curse aside, the new version of the film cleverly places the classic fairy tale in a real world time and place.
I think the strongest thing going for this film is the Cast. The performances were all top notch. I found the portrayal of Beast to be well done. The CGI worked well overall and he didn’t seem out of place in the scene. Whether they did this through motion capture or mix of practical and computer animation but it worked. Dan Stevens did a good job providing the voice and feeling behind beast. Luke Evans was great as Gaston, and brought a good balance of humor, overconfident self indulgence and menace. Josh Gad’s LeFou stole the show in every scene that he was in, and was a delight to watch. Anyone who said they are avoiding this film because of the homosexuality LeFou is supposed to have is over-reaching. There was an undertone, but i never thought that he was offensive in anyway. Certainly nothing that warranted the backlash it received. The rest of the supporting cast was a delight, from Kevin Kline’s more fleshed out Maurice to the castle’s long list of enchanted staff.
When it comes to Emma Watson’s Belle, I was a bit less enamored. Don’t get me wrong, Watson does a good job on the acting front. It’s her singing that I’m concerned about. Even there, I’m not sure who’s at fault. Her voice is by far the most processed of the bunch. I don’t know if that’s because her singing voice was not up to par or what, but she never really sounded quite right. It also strikes me odd because IF she just isn’t the best singer, then why was she cast for the role of Belle in a Disney musical?. I know reactions were unanimously positive when she was first cast. But if the voice isn’t there, I find it concerning Disney would push her through anyways. We may never know.
The film does have the same basic structure as its animated counterpart but portions were fleshed out and given more context. I really enjoyed Belle and Maurice’s first scene and their conversation about her mother. It painted Maurice as eccentric, rather than a foolish tinkerer. I liked the little moments between Gaston and LeFou, often reinforcing Gaston’s ego while showing LeFou to be the smarter and more competent. We also get to see a lot more scenes between Belle and the Beast as they learn about each other and find a mutual respect. The choice to show the the Beast as well educated and literate was a simple but very effective addition to his character, as it allowed Belle to see him as an equal in intellect. These scenes finally give us insight as to why she would turn away someone like Gaston and be swayed towards a equally brutish exterior.
Of course we also get all the big scenes and songs. “Be Our Guest” absolutely nailed the fun and excitement of the original in both musical and visual splendor. Ewan Mcgregor truly shined as Lumière. The “Bonjour” sequence was fine, though I thought the town center was far too hectic and populated given the assumed size of the town. The ballroom scene “Beauty and the Beast” was sung beautifully by Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts. However, it’s disappointing that the camerawork in this version was not as impressive as the original’s cinematography. The only scene i would take issue with is the added song that the Beast sings near the end. It felt out too on the nose and stands out for it. I know that the Beast didn’t have a stand alone song in the original, so I’m not sure if they needed it here.
Coming out of all this, I had to remind myself that though this movie is a remake for me, this is a first time viewing for a new generation. And while I am not completely sold on the live actions remakes in the pipes (Aladdin, The Lion King), Disney put in good effort to differentiate while staying true to the original. I’m left questioning the augmented quality of Emma Watson’s performance and the Beasts new solo song didn’t land, but the music otherwise was a delight. The cast was charming and the visuals and added cultural resonance were a great addition. I think years down the line I will probably revisit the animated film more often, but Disney did a great job of giving new viewers something that aligns more with this generation.
