Review by Monique Thompson
Belle (Emma Watson), a bright, beautiful and independent young woman, is taken prisoner by a beast (Dan Stevens) in its castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the beast’s hideous exterior, allowing her to recognize the kind heart and soul of the true prince that hides on the inside
Mostly everyone knows, the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast; originally released by Disney in 1991 as an animated film. What a joyous way to relive one of the greatest love stories of all times by releasing the image as all of the characters come to life. For those that have never saw the love story of Belle and the beast, this life-like version with 3D animation is a great adaptation that stays true to the original.
Emma Watson is breathtakingly stunning as Belle. Her crisp clean image and innocent appearance is a perfect imprint for one of Disney’s most lovable female characters. Watson simply glows in each scene and exudes purity and humility, which is everything Belle should be. Dan Stevens as the beast executes another great performance. The beast, while huge and ferocious on the outside, is extremely sensitive and caring on the inside, making for undeniable chemistry between the two.
One of the most notable qualities with this remake is the fact that so much stays true to the original. From the talking candelabra (Lumiere – Ewan McGregor) to the clock (Cogsworth – Ian McKellen), to Belle’s exquisitely beautiful gold ball gown, this remake managed to keep everything that made viewers fall in love from the beginning. The duo of Gaston (Luke Evans) and LeFou (Josh Gad) added fresh comedic flair to the classic tale which some humorous punchlines and innuendos.
Of course, this review wouldn’t be just if I omitted one of the only variations that didn’t stick to the original. LeFou’s character is a gay male in this adaptation. Was it necessary to have a gay character, absolutely not. In my opinion though, too much focus is being put on the fact that he’s gay. While the character is flamboyant, there’s not much else that should immediately warrant boycotts or even such negativity. Besides, many of the younger children wouldn’t even notice. This remake is still refreshing and a great story for the entire family.
