The First Half was Spectacular!

Rating: 1/10 (22 December 2017)

The film starts off with a great holiday feel! The music is moving, though very modern. Hugh Jackman can sing! But, then, it starts to explore trite themes with no creativity, including the dreaded theme of ambitious Dad neglects his family. Yaaaaawwwwwwn! They pushed too hard on themes about inequality. A soft touch would have been perfect, since the film is about circus freaks. I loved the theme of the "moral elite" vs. the "freaks, entertainment of the common people." There wasn't enough about that.
I would have preferred a film that had more fun, more sensational circus performances, less domestic conflict, and songs that bring me into the major plot points of the story instead of as window dressing. (See Little Shop of Horrors if you want to know how it's supposed to be done.)
In fact, Zendaya and Zac Efron's song was right on the money.
Had to give it a 3, since I was rewriting the story in my mind the whole time to make it good. So, I enjoyed it.