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The 1991 animated Beauty and the Beast is the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It really is that good as, besides The Little Mermaid two years before it, Disney was in a rut. This was the film that renewed Disney’s popularity, not to mention that it seemed to spark a new creative streak for the rest of the 1990s decade. So, this live action remake which follows in the successful in all accounts steps of Cinderella, Pete’s Dragon and the best and most successful so far The Jungle Book. I found this to be a lesser film than the ‘91 animated film.
Since everyone knows the story of Beauty and the Beast, let’s get straight to the review and skip the plot summary. From the opening of the film, I was really scared that this wasn’t going to work. The original animated film had such an elegant opening with stained glass paintings and the narration, that this opening felt like an afterthought. What’s cool is they do show that Prince Adam threw extravagant balls with period correct makeup and wigs from the eighteenth century. However, it did not have the impact that I feel it needed to have.
With that said, the film does improve to certain degrees. Some songs work more than others. “Gaston” is heads and shoulders above the animated version. “Belle” is almost beat for beat lifted from the animated film. The new songs are forgettable. Instead of using “Human Again” and trying to make that a potential show-stopping number they do “Days in the Sun” with the castle’s enchanted staff. The number doesn’t pop and nothing about is particularly memorable. Same goes for “Evermore”, a song that is supposed to have much emotional weight, which I feel the simplicity of the roar. I’ll say, though, “Something More” is much more romantic in this film, as is the courtship of the two leads. Thanks to the courtship playing out more fluidly, the title track with the iconic ballroom dance feels more romantic as well. And I will say that the iconic dance has a shot that is breathtaking and could become just as iconic as the dolly shot from the animated film.
Emma Watson is a good Belle. She is smoldering and portrays Belle as headstrong with a strong feminist bent that works well. I definitely understand updating the character for 2017 and making her in control of her own agency. As she is the co-lead of this film, they needed to update without straying too far from what works and what made the original a modern classic. Dan Stevens does an admirable job as The Beast/Prince Adam. The Beast was done as motion capture with the CG looking okay, but the performance hinges on the character’s eyes being expressive so it works. There’s an all-star cast with The Beast’s enchanted staff including Ewan McGregor as Lumière, Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts, Audra McDonald as Madame de Garderobe, Nathan Mack as Chip, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Plumette and Stanley Tucci as a new character named Cadenza. These supporting characters are all amazing as this is where the CG looks most impressive. Kevin Kline brings a lot of humanity to Maurice, Belle’s father, as they added some really moving backstory with him that works in spades.
However, Luke Evans as Gaston and Josh Gad as Le Fou steal this film and run away with it. Their comedic timing and chemistry shine head and shoulders above anything else going on in this film. These two work so well together, that I implore Disney to start developing a prequel with Gaston and Le Fou. Oh, and for all of you upset that Le Fou is gay and this shouldn’t be in a family film, please grow up. I saw a tweet that said why does the first gay character in a major Disney film have to be fat and ugly and this is why the world is a terrible place.
The set and production design are like no other in this film. The Beast’s castle is one I would love to explore, as everything is finely detailed down to every step on every staircase. I cannot see this not winning Oscars for production and set design. It’s that beautifully detailed. The subtle designs on the enchanted characters are so intricately detailed it’s crazy. However, as I mentioned before, the CG on The Beast is okay at best, and it’s not that good on the pack of wolves. I do not understand how this happens as The Jungle Book last year had the most realistic animals (and environments) ever. The wolves here also must be the smartest wolves in cinema history as they just don’t work in this live action adaptation.
I am ambivalent towards Beauty and the Beast. I feel as if the '91 cartoon works much better than this. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate it and it is considerably better than what Disney did with Maleficent. But, most people in the audience seemed to enjoy it, not to mention that the changes and additions work well but not enough to elevate this live action adaptation like the others did. Also, while everyone’s singing is solid when Audra McDonald lets her pipes loose it’s clear she’s the standout and I wish she could be utilized more.
I’ve never seen the Broadway musical (Disney I would like to see The Lion King on Broadway before I turn 60, so please lower prices), so I can’t make comparisons to that. I spoke with some fellow critics who felt just as ambivalent towards it as I did, and suggested that maybe this shouldn’t have been a musical. And I just don’t know how Disney could do that without making everyone on Earth mad. Look, most general audiences will like it well enough, and make no mistake that this will gross a billion dollars. As it stands, Bill Condon’s Beauty and the Beast is a one and done for me. ------------------------------------------
America from 9:00 on: https://youtu.be/GUwLCQU10KQ
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