Beauty and the Beast, the live action adaptation and remake of the original animated motion picture spells out the characters of Belle (Emma Watson) and Beast (Dan Stevens) even more. Belle has an extra feather on her hat as an inventor. The Prince is shown to value exterior beauty only, with his dancing hobby & trait built in the beginning itself. Both of these personas are charged with backstories as well, although Belle's actual travel to Paris and discovery of truth behind her mum's abandonment doesn't add any value to the core story. This could have been easily scraped off as it comes off as an actress' demand more than anything necessary for the script. On a side note, we can't help but notice Emma Watson is a little bored during her portion at the beginning of the picture.
Also prevalent in the writing is how the two fall in love with each other. They found similarities on the opposite sides! Remember how in the animated version, the Prince is illiterate but owns a staggering number of books in a chamber? Well, the issue is doctored. The Prince here is a studious person, much like Belle; connection 1. They both feel they do not belong in the society they live in; connection 2. The rest is history and the romance is really heartfelt, particularly during the touching climax when the whole castle & lively furniture die down. It is awesome to see when everything turns back to life again after all!
Other needed improvements made in order to translate this story effectively from one medium to another, additional dialogues are inserted to render it interactional for real humans onscreen. How Philippe gallops back home from a known destination is also shown on a proper background justification. Although the plot surrounding Gaston (Luke Evans) and Maurice (Kevin Kline) could have been even straightforward without beating around the bush in order to elongate the duration, all plot points are met on time to bring the story forward just like the original. To have the Enchantress brought in for final effect is good, because she's a character. You can't just make a character disappear like haze, and we are glad of the screenwriters to realize that.
While the overall motion picture seems to be a faithful recreation of the source material, there are altered aspects. Some for the better, some… well, not. For one, the Beast's voice should have been hoarser & authoritative. His initial transformation could have more impactful too. Moments dedicated solely for the Beast are snatched away without a thought, such as him personally informing Belle about the forbidden West Wing & saying "I love her" at the pre-climax! But, there is strong suspense about the Beast and he is ridiculously cute! The way Maurice entered the castle gate which opened itself stood out as a convenience. Greater depth & persuasion are required for the prisoners-swapping sequence. Thumbs up for linking 2 severe punishments because of a rose via a dialogue! Magical elements like Wardrobe printing patterns on Belle's dress is nice. Why does the local library only have several books in line and they call it a library? LeFou (Josh Gad) is a comical, funny sidekick. But, the soft betrayal at the end by his master is emotionally okay. The feature is fine with or without it. The same can be said about the instant incidents for each petals that fall off.
Belle had multiple opportunities to escape and just when you're thinking why isn't she doing so, she does it! Good. Gaston's humiliation & rejection by Belle was light! It should have been heavier as it is in the cartoon, only then the 'Gaston' number would have had weight. He didn't hit bottom low, how are we supposed to see things through his perspective? Chip's innocence regarding the blossoming romance is captured here too, just like in the animated film. Emma Thompson's voice as a narrator didn't hit the homerun. It is not as mythical as the original David Ogden Stiers'. Did the guard miss Maurice unlocking the chariot? Lastly, it doesn't make sense to strike a bridge of relationships between villagers & the ones cursed in the fortress. If that were true, the villagers would have known what happened in the past or at the very least, knew such castle existed in the first place, without having to succumb to Gaston's brainwashing!
The 1991 toon's musical had an objective for its songs. Importance was placed on its lyrics, so that we see conversations, characterizations & descriptions through it. Here, the music is loud and emphasis is placed on the singing rather than on the words. Therefore, the tunes don't give any meanings and it does get prostrate sometimes. But, the idea of a musical blends well with the storytelling premise here. Color scheme is spectacularly rich! Action episodes are messily done. Barring the final one between Gaston and the Beast, the stunts seem choreographed, bland and fabricated, hence predictable. This is mainly due to the quick cuts back and forth. These types of scenes demand your stay for a while, in order to absorb the impact before moving on to the next.
While it is enjoyable and fun to witness a live action reenactment of a favorite animated classic from page to page to can to can, one must agree that 'something' is missing. This 'something' is defined by how good is the ability of the filmmaking team to arrest the very essence & nuances of animation that made the source material wonderful initially. In hand-drawn animation, makers could decide literally everything about their characters, from the way they look to the way a hair strand shifts even. But, this frozen, frame to frame dictation of screen story cannot be redone in live action. Or just maybe, certain tales are only suitable to be told in a particular format. Either way, these are also the root causes of why the end impact is underwhelming, even if judged without any comparisons.
90th Academy Awards will hopefully give a nod to the splendiferously stunning visual effects, delectably charming costume work & luxuriously posh production design! The way Lumière, Cogsworth, Maurice, Mrs. Potts & Chip were graphically redesigned is hands down stunning! Especially the Beast, oh yes the Beast! There are a couple of moments, for the Beast, where the CGI seems to show its true color, but this is a nitpick. The Wardrobe here is more than just an okay character. Master Cadenza is a good addition. Even the wolves at the dark forest are fantastic to drool at. One can never look away from the attires the characters are wearing. What a beauty! To plug both these aspects in a breathtakingly resplendent & grandly majestic environment, castle, village, fantastical extravagance and settings is all-credits worthy! This is how you know the money has been spent rightfully and the high budget allocation has been honored.
"I am not a beast."