Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Remaking a story whose ending everyone already knows is a strange kind of challenge. If you cannot offer surprise, then how you show it becomes everything. The 1991 animated film was a symbol of the Disney Renaissance, and the weight of comparison was correspondingly heavy. Bill Condon’s live-action version takes that burden head-on and, while following the original’s skeleton almost exactly, opens its own ball through the texture and music that fill the screen. My rating is ★4.0.

What it’s about — A live-action re-creation of a fairy tale whose ending we know

Belle (Emma Watson), who lives in a French village, is a woman a little different from the others, one who loves books and brims with curiosity. When her inventor father, Maurice, loses his way and is imprisoned in the Beast’s castle, Belle volunteers to take his place as a hostage. The master of that castle is a prince cursed into the shape of a Beast, and the servants who live with him have likewise been transformed into objects such as a candelabra, a clock, and a teapot. The only way to break the curse is for the Beast to truly love and to have that love returned. Wary of each other at first, Belle and the Beast slowly open their hearts through books and conversation.

Direction — A lavish ball that stirs nostalgia

Bill Condon’s direction is devoted to stirring nostalgia. The original’s signature scenes, especially Belle in her yellow dress turning across the ballroom with the Beast, are re-created almost exactly to touch fans’ memories. At the same time, leaning into the strengths of live action, he fills the castle interiors and the village streets with rich sets and costumes. On visual density alone, this film is unmistakably a lavish musical.

Not every choice succeeds, however. The objects the servants have become, and the Beast, are realized with computer graphics, and depending on the shot there are moments where they feel mismatched against the live-action actors. The songs newly added between the familiar numbers are an attempt to reinforce the story, but they fall short of the intensity of the original classics. Even so, the moments when Alan Menken’s music swells again show clearly what this remake was made for.

Performance — The Beast’s loneliness conveyed beyond the graphics

Emma Watson renders an active, clever Belle, building the character not as a princess simply waiting for rescue but as a figure who moves by her own will. Opinions on her singing were divided, but she is persuasive in expressing the longing for books and the love for her father. Dan Stevens, acting under the difficult condition of performing mostly beyond the graphics, conveys the Beast’s loneliness and change through voice and eyes.

The supporting cast cannot be left out. Luke Evans plays the vain Gaston with sly flair, and Josh Gad as his follower LeFou adds light laughs. Ewan McGregor’s candelabra Lumière and Emma Thompson’s teapot Mrs. Potts create a warm presence with their voices alone.

What the film says — An eye that sees the essence beyond appearances

The heart of this story is seeing beyond appearances. The villagers look up to the handsome Gaston, but he is hollow inside, while within the hideous Beast hide a wounded heart and gentleness. The premise that Belle is a person who sees the world widely through books connects naturally to the ability to recognize a person’s essence beyond prejudice. It is a familiar lesson, but heard again on a lavish stage, it still arrives with warmth.

Ratings & reception

The IMDb rating is 7.1 out of 10. The Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer is 71 percent and the Metacritic score is 65 out of 100, meaning critical response settled at mild praise. At the box office it earned enormous worldwide revenue and became one of the year’s notable successes, and the polish of its costumes and art was recognized at several award ceremonies.

Verdict

If you came expecting something new, you may be a touch disappointed, because this film chose to lovingly revive the original rather than renew it. But the satisfaction of the familiar melodies and that yellow-dress scene is unmistakable, and the effort filling the screen feels sincere. As a remake that chose stability over adventure, ★4.0 is the right rating.

Recommended for

• Anyone with memories of the 1991 original animated film
• Viewers who enjoy lavish costumes, art, and musical numbers
• Those looking for a warm fantasy romance the whole family can watch together