Review: Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Beauty and the Beast: The latest in Disney’s attempt to relive the past by making real life versions of their classic animated movies. Perhaps not very original but in practice it was just delightful.
Now I will say my delight in this film is largely due my enjoyment of the original, so if you hate the animated Beauty and the Beast I would probably stay away from this one as well. However if you loved he original as I did I feel you will not be disappointed. The casting choices were great, specifically Emma Watson as Belle and Luke Evans as Gaston. All choices were great, and special shout out to Josh Gad who just keeps making it into the movies I’m seeing, but those two in particular felt like they could easily have been the cartoons but with more depth and modernity. Luke Evans was also able to finally make me understand why anyone would be attracted to Gaston.
Yeah definitely an excellent choice
Of course the movie is about 40 minutes longer than the original, and is made for current internet dwelling consumers that have questions. Questions like why did everyone forget that they had a prince and what did they think was happening in the nearby ‘abandoned’ castle? The film does a great job at tying those loose ends and giving more depth to their characters, but of course most of that is relegated to Belle and the Beast with just a dash for LeFou.
The new songs however leave something to be desired. They’re not bad by any means, but they’re not exactly memorable. The Beast’s song toward the end when Belle is leaving the castle was pretty good, but I couldn’t tell you the words of it. They were certainly no ‘Be Our Guest’. And while we’re on the subject of Be Our Guest, rest assured it is as magical as the original. It actually has a slower start that made me nervous at first, but by the climax its technicolor crescendo will make your heart swell with joy as much as it did when you were a kid. I didn’t quite like the rendition of the Gaston song as much but it was no slouch either.
Perhaps it’s the incredibly unrealistic theatrics of the original that just couldn’t translate.
There are of course some more ‘modern’ updates. The movie of course takes place in the same time but it has been slightly altered for modern audiences. Belle’s father is no longer an inventor, and while that isn’t Belle’s sole vocation or goal in life, she is able to concoct a pretty impressive invention for herself to be productive and read simultaneously.
Belle is also very strong willed in this one. She was always a fairly feisty Disney princess, but this time around she’s not only feisty but she actually tries to escape before the wolf debacle instead of just sitting in her room huffing and puffing. She takes initiative this time. She also doesn’t seem surprised and confused by Gaston’s advances just annoyed, angry and a little freaked out. Rightfully so I might add.
Kind but fierce.
Finally speaking of changes, they really upped the ante on Gaston’s treachery. This time his big plan isn’t to get Maurice into an asylum (though that does come into play). What he actually does is worse, but I’ll leave that revelation to the movie. It seems like Disney thought today’s audiences are ready for a really villainous villain, and I liked the change. If nothing else it provides real surprise for die-hard fans like myself.
Also on a final note, though I’ve directed most of this review towards the adults that grew up loving this movie, bring your kids if you have them because it will be as magical for them as the original was for us.
A whole new generation of yellow dress obsessed kids is born.
4.5 yellow dresses out 5
Would have been 5 if the new songs had something catchy.