The circus comes to town

Rating: 6/10 (25 March 2018)

The Greatest Showman gives Hugh Jackman another chance to do a movie musical in a somewhat sanitised story of P T Barnum who conceived a circus of freaks, the bizarre and misfits. More importantly he was driven by self promotion and making money.
First time director Michael Gracey does well with the musical sequences, giving it a modern sensibility. However his lack of experience shows in the dramatic moments and with the narrative. The songs are rather bland apart from the Oscar nominated, This is Me that has a barnstorming performance from Keala Settle.
The story is a little thin but zips along in an entertaining fashion. It is dazzling yet curiously empty, Maybe a bit like Barnum's showmanship. The best performances are from Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron.