Shameless money grab that is sub-par at best

Rating: 3/10 (4 April 2017)

Let me preface by saying that while the '91 cartoon is my favorite movie of all time, I am not a strict cartoon purist, as the Broadway musical of BATB is also one of my favorites and there are other takes on the fairy tale that I really enjoy as well. But, when you are doing the songs from the cartoon and even replicate some scenes shot-for-shot, I expect that the characters should feel familiar and the quality of the production should live up to its predecessor. Unfortunately, this 2017 version falls dreadfully short.
CASTING - The biggest blunder is Emma Watson in the lead role. This is not to disparage her as an actress in general, but she is not right for this. Her Belle lacks grace, enthusiasm, warmth and sincerity. She seems bored, and while it sounds like she could have quite a sweet voice with further training, it is evident she does not have that skill set yet. In the other title role, Dan Stevens' Beast is all CGI and you never forget it. They've also edited his voice to make him sound more "beastly", which makes his solo awkward to listen to. One has to wonder why they didn't just cast someone with a deeper voice then? The character also seems a more like a grumpy old man than a tortured soul in a beastly body. Why did Disney cast "Hollywood names" instead of people who were best for the role? It's not like there was ever a doubt this would be a box office smash anyway given the beloved source material. I also never believed for a moment the relationship between any of the characters with the exception of the playful rivalry/camaraderie between Cogsworth & Lumiere.
CGI AND MUSIC - For a "live action" version, it certainly feels more stilted and unreal. The CGI in general looks fake, and the enchanted objects are creepy. There are new songs but they are mostly dull. Now, I think Alan Menken is a musical genius, so perhaps it had something to do with having to write songs for non- singers. The Beast's new song is the best of the bunch, but the emotion doesn't seem appropriate for the scene. The reused songs have new arrangements & new lyrics, but with the exception of The Mob Song, the changes are distracting and feel oddly paced.
STORYLINE - In truth, the whole movie is oddly paced. Things are dragged out that don't need to be, and other things zoom by that should have been fleshed out. They give backstories, but odd ones at odd times in odd ways. Minor spoilers: For example, Gaston is a soldier who saved the village and that's why everyone loves him. He likes Belle for her looks but also her dignity.By giving the villagers a very good reason to like him, he is no longer a foil for the Beast. Gaston is supposed to be handsome, strong and charismatic and people equate that with being good. The Beast is ugly so they automatically think he's bad. Is not the moral that it's actually what's on the inside that counts? It seems they have forgotten the point. Even Belle makes a joke in poor taste at the end which undermines the message. Furthermore, significant details are altered which result in the Beast not changing & the leads basically falling in love by accident, and (SPOILER) the enchanted rose has no real significance in the end (END SPOILER)
I could say more, but I think you get the picture. I wanted to like it, but it grossly failed to enchant.