Disney appears to be on a role when it comes to live action films. Although many think the Disney classics should be left alone, live action films should at least be given a chance. Of course, nothing will beat the originals but, when done correctly, there is no harm in updating some of Walt's creations for younger, more modern audiences. In 2016 Jon Favreau, in his rendition of The Jungle Book, was very selective in the scenes he chose to replicate frame for frame. His version of Jungle Book was familiar and nostalgic, but still managed to seem new. On the other hand, Bill Condon chose to replicate the original film frame for frame. Even though this seems redundant, Condon was right to do this. Because he selected to completely duplicate the original, he was able to answer some lingering questions that have stayed with viewers for years. All of these questions are answered in subtle ways, and also create several empathetic moments for those who grew up with this movie.
Condon's focus on filling various plot holes not only answered a lot of questions, but also gave Belle and the Beast greater character motivation. Belle was still the outcast of the town, as was her father. In this version, they were outcasts for a reason. They did not always live in that little provincial town, they once had a life in the grand city of Paris. For much of the movie, Paris is a mystery to Belle. She constantly inquires about why she and her father left there, and what happened to her mother. This is one of the many questions that has remained with viewers for some time. Condon finally provided an explanation for what happened to her mother: she died of a notorious disease leaving Belle's father heartbroken. He had no choice but to leave, otherwise this deadly disease would spread to him and, at the time, his infant daughter. Furthermore, viewers also get to see a glimpse into the Beast's background. By explaining the Beast's past, Condon created a connection between the Beast and Belle while also explaining his selfish nature. He was not always cold and heartless. As a boy he was full of love and kindness, constantly by his mother's side. The Beast lost this kindness upon his mother's death, for his father taught him to hate. Naturally, this carried on into his later life, and would end up causing the curse we all know of. By both protagonist's losing their mothers at a young age, Condon created a unique connection between the two. They both grew up without a motherly figure, and only had a father as their guiding compass. Belle's father guided her north, and allowed her to grow into herself as a compassionate, intelligent woman. The Beast's father was on the other end of the spectrum, guiding him south, where he only knew hate. The importance of both of them not having a mother not only lies in them having a common thread, but it also pays tribute to Walt Disney himself. Many have wondered why he always killed off the mothers in his films. This is due in part to the fact he lost his mother, tragically, and simply never got over it. It was good that Condon maintained this idea in explaining the story of the Beast.
Condon also managed to stay more true to the original story, while also making the film a bit more realistic. In the original movie, Belle's father happens upon the castle, enters to warm himself, and is instantly imprisoned simply for just being there. Although this makes sense on the basis that Maurice entered a private dwelling, he was just saving himself from a blizzard. In Condon's movie, he strives to be closer to the original story. Maurice happened upon the castle, and the Beast left him food, allowed him to warm himself, and displayed a sense of hospitality without even showing his face. But, as Maurice left upon being shocked at talking furniture, he makes the mistake of stealing a single rose from the castle garden. This provided a more legitimate reason for Beast locking him away. Also, when Belle found her father had been locked away by a horrific Beast she still volunteered to take his place. Contrary to the original, Maurice begged her not to take his place, he wanted her live her life. This was a much more realisitic response than the original.
As for the visual effects this film was spectacular. At first, I had my doubts. Some of the characters looked very stiff and strange as compared to their animated counterparts. Each trailer seemed to make the furniture characters less appealing, and various concept art of the Beast made it seem as if his movements would be unnatural. Of course, Disney managed to counter many criticisms which accompanied the CGI character designs. The final product showed that each character was animated in a way that made them, not only visually pleasing, but also used realistic movements. Specifically, the Beast looked phenomenal. In the beginning, I had my doubts as to his appearance. He seemed to differ greatly from the original but, in this case, his design change was appropriate. Dan Stevens seemed to make the Beast appear as a more realistic entity, and truly made him come to life on the big screen. He had an intelligent personality, which was well conveyed in his facial expressions. Furthermore, characters like Lumiere and Cogsworth also appeared to be more realistic and blended well into their environments. Furthermore, Ewan McGregor's personality seemed to bleed into Lumiere, and he even managed to sport a good French accent. In addition to the acting talents of McGregor, Ian McKellen also contributed his masterful voice to one of the many lovable characters in this film. He truly brought Cogsworth to life. McKellen ensured Cogsworth was comical, in a sense, while still maintaining his suave wisdom. Luke Evans also played his role of Gaston well. Evans preserved what is synonymous with Gaston (his selfish, narcissistic attitude) while also evolving the role to resonate with modern audiences. Next to Dan Stevens, out of the entire cast, the best performance has to come from Emma Watson herself. No one else could have filled the shoes of Belle in a realistic setting. Watson physically embodies this role in every fabric of her being. She is Belle. Watson not only was a superb choice for live-action Belle, but she also made a point to make Belle more independent, compassionate and intelligent than ever before. She ensured her version of Belle would serve as a good example to girls all over the world. Watson moderately encouraged girls to be independent through her overall portrayal, and it was truly satisfying.
Even though this film was spot on with its cast, visual effects and with striving to answer all unanswered questions, it did fall short in certain aspects. Every part of Walt's version of the story is preserved in Condon's rendition. This is fantastic in certain respects, but appeared to have made the cast feel inclined to use the voice of actors in musical numbers. Even though this does not seem like an issue, it's a shame to say, there was a significant amount of auto-tune used in almost every song. If auto-tune is necessary, it should not be so blatantly obvious and should blend more with the overall sound editing. If Condon did not wish to use a voice dub, he should have stayed away from auto-tune and let the actor's raw voice be utilized to the full extent. Also, a major criticism of this movie is that it is practically a carbon copy of the original. Honestly, if it is not broken, do not fix it. Personally, I found it was smart to leave it almost exactly the same, because it allowed for various questions to the answered. Therefore, the biggest flaw does not lie with the carbon copy story, but lies more with the overabundance of auto-tune.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable movie that ensures a trip down memory lane for those who grew up with Disney. Each part is sure to make your heart fill with warmth and flutter with excitement. As previously stated, the major detractor of this movie was the overuse of auto-tune, but I really love how many questions were answered in a logical manner. My biggest positive to this movie was none other than Miss. Emma Watson. It has been a pleasure growing up with this young woman through her films, and I am simply elated to see all that she has already accomplished.
Score: 6.5/10
