BELLE
As "Belle" began, I saw Emma Watson and couldn't get Hermione out of my head. I was convinced that it would ruin the movie for me. Then a switch flipped about one minute into the song, and I was hooked on Watson's Belle. She's so iconic of a princess that I'm sure many were skeptical. Watson isn't really known for her acting prowess nowadays. But she acts with the grace and wit that Belle had in the original, truly making her seem even more intelligent than in the animated film. The Stockholm Syndrome argument from the original is nonexistent because Watson and costar Dan Stevens have great chemistry, and their romance is believable. They really take you through the steps of their courtship and it isn't as sudden as in the original. As for Watson's singing, I'm not on board. Her soloversion of "Belle (Reprise)" is my third favorite song in the film, but I think she is way too autotuned. Her singing voice sounds unnatural and took me out of the experience every time she sang, which was thankfully not often after the first half hour.
Dan Stevens is incredible as the Beast. In the opening scene, we see how he gets cursed and some brilliant stylistic choices are made. The Prince is caked in makeup, symbolizing his later transformation, and his guests are all dressed identically. The scene is very effective, and emphasizes his bitter heart rather than vanity. The Beast is given a new song, and "Evermore" is my favorite song in the film. I truly believe it has a good chance of a nomination for Best Song at the Oscars, maybe even a win. His acting ability had already been proven on Downton Abbey for me, so he's very one note, but it's a really sympathetic performance. And like I stated, their romance is much more believable, and that is in part because he's portrayed as a book nerd like Belle. There really wasn't anything I didn't like about Dan Stevens and his portrayal of The Beast.
I hate what this movie did to Gaston. However, I cannot deny that Luke Evans does a great job as such a despicable and disgusting human being. There are many liberties taken from the 1991 film and I just didn't think they worked. Gaston is a self-absorbed narcissist, and aside from one mirror scene, that isn't even hinted at. He's much more evil. In the original, he treated Belle pretty kindly and was just so in love with himself that he didn't see the error of his ways. And then he transformed into a monster on the inside, contrasting the Beast and his transformation. But this Gaston is just a jerk. He and Belle have no relationship, and most of his bargaining over her is done with her father instead of Belle herself. I thought the song "Gaston" was pretty watered down from the original and they changed too many lyrics. It was too long, too boring, and lost my attention. Luke Evans does a great job, but he's simply not Gaston.
I can't put my finger on it, but I just wasn't a fan of Maurice. I loved how close he was with Belle, but that's a theme of the story. They made some enormous changes to the character, ridding him of his kookiness and stripping away what made him memorable to me. There wasn't as big of an emphasis on his inventions, and as I'll explain, I wasn't a fan of his backstory. Kevin Kline is a great actor, but Maurice was very bland.
There's been a huge controversy on turning LeFou gay. This is absolutely ridiculous. LeFou has one "gay" scene at the end and it's mostly played for laughs. While he isn't a progressive gay character, you shouldn't be looking for one in a remake of a Disney film. I thought he perfectly brought LeFou to life, and while his song was one of the weakest (I really didn't like "Gaston") his part was fine. He's really not "gay", and I think this was the fault of Gad and director Bill Condon trying to sell something that just isn't there.
When the first picture of Lumiere and Cogsworth came out, it was heavily scrutinized. They looked stupid, and it was impossible to tell where their face was. They have since updated their appearances, and I have no complaints. All of them look like their real appliances, with the exception of Lumiere, but he gets a pass because he's so charming. Ewan McGregor does a phenomenal job selling the accent and Lumiere's charm, but unfortunately, he butchers the song. "Be Our Guest" is my favorite song from Beauty and the Beast, and I actually hated what they did with it in this film. It's always been a simple song, where the servants simply feed Belle in a dinner theater style. But this was so over the top, likely to showcase 3D effects. Things were popping out all over the place, there was a Taj Mahal, spotlights, fireworks, and it was far too overstimulating. The entire group I went with thought it was awful. As for Cogsworth, we're just lucky Ian McKellen is somehow still alive and spritely, and he brings the perfect blend of awkwardness and lovability that Cogsworth needs. Emma Thompson perfectly fills in Angela Lansbury's shoes and really nails "Beauty and the Beast". She doesn't quite have the exuberance that Lansbury's teapot possessed, instead opting for a maternal glow. They changed Babette's name to Plumette (I'm not sure why?) as well as making her a bird (Another odd choice...) but Gugu Mbatha-Raw, one of my favorite underrated actresses, does an amazing job with her voicework. Her romance with Lumiere has the same platform as in the original, and it provides for some very funny and sweet scenes.
One of the film's new songs is "Aria" sung by Audra McDonald before she's turned into a wardrobe. The song is short, but McDonald is without a doubt one of the greatest singers of all time, so it's certainly great to listen to. The song itself is very pretty, but again, feels like it's just an excuse to have her sing a ballad. She sings the opera version of "Beauty and the Beast" at the film's finale, and she does a better job than Emma Thompson or John Legend and Ariana Grande. They seemed to be giving Garderobe a subplot where she was narcoleptic, or falling asleep, and I didn't get that or see the need. As for Cadenza, he's really a small character who provides for a few laughs. I love Stanley Tucci and he does a great job, but it's an underdeveloped character.
Every technical aspect of this film is impeccable. It's truly firing on all cylinders. The costumes, from Belle's dress to the white gowns in the opening, are all gorgeous. The effects for the enchantress and the Beast were fabulous. I predict the film will probably win the Oscar for Best Costume Design, and it has a good shot at Set Design as well. The sets are extravagant and enormous. The only issue is that the castle didn't seem real. I'm not sure what it was about the visual effects, but they were very poorly rendered. Every camera angle is shot as if by a professional Oscar-winner rather than the unknown cinematographer. It is the sets and and costumes that add to the allure that makes Beauty and the Beast so enticing.
As I've previously expressed, I didn't like what they did to Gaston as a character. I didn't like Belle's singing. I hated "Be Our Guest" and didn't like "Gaston". I thought the effects were sometimes sloppy and I didn't love Maurice either. I also was left wanting some of the servants to have more screen time. But above all, I hated Paris. I appreciate trying to give Belle a backstory. But I believe it was just so unneeded. They give her a story in which her mother died of the plague in Paris, and she and her father had to leave her and move into their small town. It just made for some really sappy scenes between she and Maurice and for an absolutely ridiculous scene in which she and the Beast jump through time and space (Yes, this literally happens) in a storybook and visit her old house. I just found it so absolutely unneeded. The movie would do fine without it, and it was too unbelievable and wacky for me. Plus, if it's supposed to be sad, I should feel sad. And I just felt so disconnected from her in that moment.
So in conclusion, Beauty and the Beast is a fantastic film, but it isn't without its flaws. It's a truly magical adventure that is perfect for all ages. I really hope that this trend of adapting their Renaissance films continues to be as successful. Mulan comes out next year, and I'm a little worried about how they'll handle that, with Ghost in the Shell turning out to be an enormous disaster. Before I give my rating, I have also ranked the songs by how good I enjoyed them in the film, drawing from the visuals, the vocals, and the place in the story.
Sidenote: Don't bother staying for the credits, the Celine Dion song that plays is so awful and cheesy.
1. "Evermore"- The Beast
2. "Belle"- Belle
3. "Belle (Reprise)"- Belle
4. "Evermore"- Josh Groban
5. "Days in the Sun"- Cast
6. "Beauty and the Beast"- Ariana Grande & John Legend (I have my issues with this)
7. "Aria"- Audra McDonald
8. "Something There"- Belle & The Beast
9. "Beauty and the Beast"- Mrs. Potts
10. "The Mob Song"- Gaston
11. "Gaston"- Gaston & LeFou
12. "How Does a Moment Last Forever"- Celine Dion
13. "Be Our Guest"- Lumiere & Mrs. Potts
14. "How Does a Moment Last Forever- Maurice / Belle
Rating:
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