Has the magic deserted this retold Disney classic?

Rating: 5/10 (19 March 2017)

Where fortune favors the brave, this live-action adaptation of a storied classic fails to venture into uncharted territory, instead feeling as though the storyteller is hastily and mechanically executing a sequence of scenes per shareholders' best interests. Throughout the course of this film was bereft a certain magical sensation better evoked by the original animated telling of the 'tale as old as time'. Nothing stands out as being particularly inspiring in this new Beauty and the Beast. No risks are taken. The greatest value is enjoyed in the CGI artistry which indeed is dazzling, yet feels manufactured in order to mask what little depth lies in the storytelling and characters. Thankfully, this version does nothing to taint the well-deserved acclaim garnered by it's predecessor, which will continue to be cherished by many and to many (including myself) will remain the obvious preference of the two pictures.