A Beauty of a Film, Magical From Start to Finish!

Rating: 9/10 (29 March 2017)

I was born a few years too late to enjoy the so-called "Disney renaissance" films from the late 80's and early 90's anywhere but on home video, but they played an important part in my childhood and remain beloved favorites, particularly "Beauty and the Beast." At any age, I could appreciate the top-notch, often cinematic animation; the witty and rousing music; the excellent voice cast; and the timeless, moving and almost operatic story.
Yet as near-perfect a film as it was, I recognized where it could be improved; mainly the spare 84-minute runtime, which precluded giving sufficient backstory for the main characters, as well as the development of Belle and the Beast's relationship beyond a mere scene or two. It was also clear that animation, as limitless as the medium can be, was constraining to a story with such scope and detail. Needless to say, I was extremely excited about this live-action remake, and am pleased to say my excitement was entirely justified.
Comparisons between this film and its predecessor are inevitable and just a nature of the beast (pun intended). Is it a cut-and-paste carbon copy of the original? No, and nor should it be. But it isn't a reimagination, either. In one sentence, it's the same film told in a new medium, touched up very gently with influences from the whole history of the Beauty and the Beast story. While staying true to the original film, the small enhancements make this film something fresh and vibrant that fans, both old and new, can enjoy.
The main improvement is the generous 129-minute runtime, which allows time for exploring the backstories of Belle and the Beast, their burgeoning relationship (which here grows out of a mutual love of literature and is given the extra screen-time that it deserves), and the furthering of the development of just about every character, elements that were either missing completely or glossed over in the original film. Rather than slowing this film down, they help add another dimension to the characters and overall story and make it a more satisfying experience.
The Brits lead the pack when it comes to fine acting, and the decision made on this film to have a nearly all-British cast could not have been better. Emma Watson is perfect as the bookish, determined Belle, and while her soprano is more pop-sounding than that of Paige O'Hara, I couldn't picture anyone else but her in the role. Dan Stevens brings a dry wit to his haunted yet equally bookish Beast, while his melancholy baritone and piercing blue eyes recall Robby Benson's Beast from the original film. The chemistry between them is palpable, and provides the beating heart necessary to carry off a story as romantic as this. While it is hard to match the passion and anguish of Glen Keane's animated Beast, the double motion-capture technology employed to bring Stevens' performance to life is a worthy effort.
Luke Evans is an excellent Gaston, equal parts panache and sadism, with a soaring heroic tenor and a handsome physique that disguises the character's cruel heart within. The supporting cast of luminaries like Emma Thompson, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen, Audra McDonald, Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, and Josh Gad are excellent in their own ways, and bring fresh outlooks on the beloved characters without straying too far from their animated counterparts.
Alan Menken's expanded and revised score is beautiful and thrilling, and the new songs written with Tim Rice, while not quite up to the level of his collaborations with Howard Ashman, work well in their places in the film. My particular favorite is "Evermore," sung by the Beast in the final act. A haunting, Phantom-esque ballad, it gives expression to the Beast's realization that he has come to love Belle, even as he willingly lets her go. The original songs are freshened up with unused lyrics by Howard Ashman, and sound great when sung by this wonderful cast.
Visually, the film is a Gothic-Rococo masterpiece, with sumptuous set-pieces and staging that would not be out of place in a golden-age Hollywood musical. The costumes, while more period-appropriate than the original, pay homage to the original, and strike the perfect balance between fantasy and reality. While the animated film is in some ways more striking, the fact that almost all of what is seen on screen was created as a physical set and not later in CGI is quite astonishing.
All together, "Beauty and the Beast" was everything I expected it to be and more. It moved me to both laughter and tears, and as I left the theatre I found myself wanting to see it again. What better recommendation is there than that?
For those who question this film's very existence, I have a very simple answer: The message contained in "Beauty and the Beast" to look beyond appearances to see the goodness within has captivated humanity for thousands of years, and should have expression in some medium for every generation to enjoy and learn from. We've been blessed in the past thirty years to have three masterworks: Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera," Disney's original "Beauty and the Beast," and this glorious live-action remake. While it's not a perfect film, if you can stop quibbling over superficial details and instead consider how well it delivers this core idea, than it is nothing short of a triumph.