The Disney live-action remake of “The Beauty and the Beast” brings back a sense of nostalgia and familiarity to anyone who has seen the original, all the while bringing a touch of something new to this timeless classic. From the opening number to the dramatic fight between Gaston and the Beast, the audience is kept enthralled.
Emma Watson as Belle was the perfect casting choice. She is the spitting image of the animated Belle we all know and love, and her voice is as beautiful as she is. While Watson is not a professional singer, she has a gorgeous tone and manages to sing with longing and love.
An outspoken feminist, Watson made sure that Belle was not only gentle and kind, but brave, smart and heroic. In one scene, she goes out of her way to teach a young girl how to read.
Belle is even an inventor herself, and uses her skills to help out her father while he’s working. Opting to wear hiking books and sensible dresses, Watson gives the character more room to be adventurous and free.
Belle doesn’t take no for an answer, saves her father and refuses to be the damsel in distress. Watson brought out a different side to the iconic character that a new generation of girls can look up to as they grow up.
The rest of the cast was just as perfect as Watson. Dan Stevens adds a softer, emotional side to the seemingly-cold beast of the past. He plays this character as intelligent, affectionate and charming. You can’t help but fall in love.
Luke Evans plays Gaston so well that it is easy to forget he’s acting, and Josh Gad was comical and proved that LeFou had his own thoughts and feelings outside of Gaston. Ian McKellen and Ewan McGregor play the dynamic duo Cogsworth and Lumière, providing humor through playful banter and quick wit.
Mrs. Potts is a comforting character played by Emma Thompson, who fills the motherly role well. Her son, Chip, is adorable in every scene. Both he and his mother end up with their own happily ever after in the end.
Maurice is portrayed by Kevin Kline. He adds more character than the goofy klutz Maurice was in the original. We also get a backstory on him and Belle’s mother, and Kline acts out heartbreak and love very well.
In typical Disney fashion, the scenery in this movie is breathtaking. The castle is spectacular and vibrant; each aspect of it comes to life and draws the audience in with its intricate detail.
The landscape shots throughout the movie are what dreams are made of. If I could, I would have looked at the mountainous scenery of France all day long.
This remake includes all the fan-favorite songs from the original movie, but also adds some new songs to the mix that capture the heartbreak and longing of both Belle and the Beast, giving the movie more depth and emotion. Beast gets his time to shine — which Dan Stevens completely nails — with the song “Forever More”, proving that he has finally learned to love.
I thought nothing would ever compare to the original movie’s “Be Our Guest” music and dance number, but this new version surpassed my expectations. The dishes sing and dance (because “after all miss, this is France”), colors explode all around them, McGregor as Lumière, steals the show with his performance and the gray stuff actually looks delicious; it was all anyone could hope for.
Overall this movie provided the audience joy and enthusiasm from the very beginning to the very end. Everyone, from adults who grew up with the classic to kids who will discover the story of the “Beauty and the Beast” for the first time, will fall in love with this remarkable and magical film.
Rating: 4/5 stars
The Crow’s Nest rates movies between one and five stars, with five stars being the highest.
Photo courtesy of Disney
