Beauty and the Beast Review
Skyler Powers
The original animated version of Beauty and the Beast received critical acclaim upon its 1991 release, and it went on to be the first and only animated film ever nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It has since become a Disney classic that has made its way into the hearts and minds of adults and children across the world. It was very exciting when Disney announced that it was making a live-action version of the beloved classic. Early trailers and promotional videos made it look promising and controversy surrounding it catapulted it into the media. This only helped the film gain awareness; it quickly became the number-one movie in the world upon its release.
All controversies aside, this movie did not fail to impress me. It was extremely well-made and it was a truly spell-binding experience. If you are looking for a complete reimagining with an altered plot, then this movie will disappoint you. While there are a fair share of minor changes and an addition of some new scenes and songs, the overall plot is essentially the same. It is basically a live-action remake of the animated original. If you are okay with that, then this movie will surely impress you. The acting in this film is wonderful and the casting was on-point. Emma Watson was a perfect choice for Belle, as was Luke Evans for Gaston. The classic songs are well sung and the new songs only benefit it. I would even go so far as to say that the choreography is superior in this version.
Everything else about the movie is impressive too. The set design, costume design, and special effects are all intricately detailed and very beautiful. You really feel like you are in eighteenth century France. The camera work is also impressive and the sound design is really deserving of praise. The film was extremely well made and was very engaging.
Filmmaking and acting aside, this film has also been subject to immense controversy. Some people have begun boycotting the movie, or even Disney as a whole, and some countries have even banned the movie from theaters. All of this controversy surrounds one aspect of the movie: the character Le Fou. Le Fou happens to be the first openly gay character in a Disney film, and this has caused both some serious backlash. As a supporter of LGBT rights, I had no issue with Disney including a gay character, as long as it was kept to a family-friendly level. I saw the inclusion of a gay character as a great effort by Disney to diversify their cinematic universe and take a political stance that could increase awareness about the LGBT rights movement.
Due to the excessive backlash, I was expecting a very bold scene or message. Why else would there be be so much controversy? After seeing the movie, however, I can say that the way Disney included this gay character deserves no controversy. Without spoiling anything, there are some subtle references that most likely children won’t pick up on, but they are by no means inappropriate. There is one scene near the end of the movie, but it only lasts for a couple seconds. It is basically a single camera shot, but it is by no means inappropriate. It is completely family friendly. I saw this movie with a group of people; they believed that the controversy was unnecessary and were expecting something much more “out there.” In fact, my mom did not even notice the scene.
At the end of the day, this movie was extremely well-made and very entertaining. It did the original justice while adding some nice new touches to make the experience a little bit different. If you are thinking about seeing this movie, I wholeheartedly suggest that you do, and I hope that you do not let the pointless controversy stop you. It truly is a real treat to watch.
