A live-action adaptation of Disney's version of the classic 'Beauty and the Beast' tale of a cursed prince and a beautiful young woman who helps him break the spell.
Disney seems to be on a steamroll to re-imagine all of their classics in live-action format and while The Jungle Book worked very well, Beauty & the Beast didn't leave me with the same amazement when I left the cinema.
The enjoyment factor watching Beauty & The Beast was high. It is entertaining, it will make you laugh and smile, it is Disney. For me, it just didn't have the same charm as the 1991 original animated film. The animated version clicked, overdosed you with stunning visuals and engrossed you in the tale. Beauty & The Beast (2017) does tick all of the boxes, the costume and set design was exceptional and the story-telling was deeper and more relatable, but it lacked that charm that arguably is very hard to recreate. What is new is the additional backstory of both Belle and the Beast, it felt less rushed and more natural than its animated sister. The 45 extra minute run time was barely noticeable.
The design of the characters was my only major disappointment. Beast although brooding and slightly menacing lacked heart and charm, he seemed more of an animatronic rather than a fully fledged character he deserves to be. In my opinion, they should have used a slightly less human form and less demonic horns. Lumiere lacked some unique personality something that his animated counterpart had in abundance and while Cogsworth ornate design was very accurate to the period it again lacked personality. Mrs Potts to me looked slightly disturbing, it could be that was the intention that these objects were to have some eerie quality to them, but they ultimately didn't impress me as much as I would have liked and hoped for. I do realise a live-action version is much more of a gargantuan task to pull off than its animated counterpart. I mean how else do you pull off a 17th century talking teapot but I think the push for complete realism made things not click as well as it could have in terms of design. The voices, however, brought these characters to life and gave their own individuality to their roles in a way that salvaged them. The additional songs I felt were a little forced and couldn't compete with the original score. Personally I felt there were a couple of songs too many but after all, it is Disney.
There are elements of the film that were done very well. The casting was perfect. Emma Watson as the bookish outsider Belle could not have been better placed, giving her a fierce, noble yet delicate character. Luke Evans as the narcissistic war veteran Gaston and LeFou (Josh Gad) played off each other so well. They brought the necessary humour to the roles as well as bringing another dimension, giving them character rather than being the throwaway comic relief or out and out villain with zero depth. Kevin Klein gave Maurice much needed dimension and the relationship between him and Belle felt real, hinting at some strained periods. The songs were performed well and didn't disappoint with 'Gaston' and 'The Mob Song' were a particular highlight.
Beauty and the Beast is a must watch for all Disney fans, young and old. It brings a deeper dimension to each role but for me, it lacked that charm the animated version had that made it an instant classic. Maybe I am being unfair to keep comparing because as a re-imagining it is done very well. With all the realism brought, it still brings that Disney magic to the film which will make it a great watch, but it won't be 'timeless' like its animated sister.
