Beauty And The Beast (2017)

A young prince (Dan Stevens) is imprisoned as a beast until he finds true love. Time is running out until he meets Belle (Emma Watson). They soon get to know each other and start to fall in love.

Director: Bill Condon

Cast: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellan

MPAA Rating: PG for some action violence, peril and frightening images

Fun Fact: Ian McKellan originally turned down the role of Cogsworth in the 1991 animated version.

Beauty and The Beast is one of the many films that Disney is taking from original animated films and making live action versions. With today’s technology, there is so much to offer when making a live action film. So how does this version hold up?

Visually this is a great looking film. The set pieces are made well and even the CGI is well done. The costume design fits the era that the film represents. I wouldn’t be surprised if this film gets nominated for a few technical awards. My only gripe with the visuals is that how great would’ve it been if they went with more practical effects? Of course, you must use CGI on certain characters because they’re household items but, what about the Beast? Why not try something practical with that? If done right it would’ve made it a nice touch to the film.

With an all star cast you are going to expect good performances. This film is loaded with good actors and actresses that it delivers on that front. Emma Watson was the perfect choice for Belle and she delivered a good performance. Dan Stevens is an unknown for me and I really think he did well. I will be interested in seeing what he does from here. Even though Ewan McGregor and Ian McKellan are voice acting, the chemistry between the two is outstanding. The person that steals the show though is Luke Evans. It looks like he really got into the role of Gaston and delivered a performance that really wanted me to see Gaston get the justice that was deserved against him.

Overall Disney knew they were taking a risk since the 1991 animated version is held with high praise. It was a risk well taken as the movie paid off. If you want to see some nice visuals and great performances you should check this version out.

Verdict: Hit