There's been a great anticipation for this live-action version of Disney's Oscar-nominated animated film from 20 years ago. Often, audiences are disappointed with remakes and reinterpretations, but that shouldn't be the case here. The latest incarnation of Beauty & The Beast is a delight from start to finish and packs a strong emotional punch.
Emma Watson, Hermione from the Harry Potter films, is the ideal actor to portray Belle (the 'beauty' of the title). With her sweet singing voice and undeniable screen charisma, Watson plays the village bookworm who looks after her elderly father (Kevin Kline) and resists the constant advances from the vain and boorish Gaston (Luke Evans).
When Belle's father finds himself a prisoner in the castle owned by 'the beast' - a prince who's had a curse put on him and all his staff - Belle bravely swaps prisoner status with her dad, thus paving the way for the beast (Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens) and Belle to start falling in love.
Meanwhile, Belle gets to know the castle's other inhabitants who've been changed into household objects. There's the candelabra Lumiere (voiced by Ewan McGregor), Cogworth the clock (Ian McKellen), the teapot Mrs Potts (Emma Thompson) and her son Chip (Nathan Mack), the harpsichord Maestro Cadenza (Stanley Tucci) and the wardrobe Madame Garderobe (Audra McDonald). Obviously, some of these people are huge stars but we only get to see them very briefly at the beginning and end when they're not under the enchantress's spell. Otherwise, they're part of the effective CGI component that melds seamlessly with the live action.
Director Bill Condon (Twilight: Breaking Dawn parts 1 & 2, Dreamgirls) has hit all the right notes in his interpretation of this magical and romantic material. And perhaps the often witty dialogue is largely due to the collaboration of prodigious family film writer, Evan Spiliotopoulos with Stephen Chbosky, who wrote The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (which Emma Watson starred in).
There are also some exhilarating musical numbers of well-known and new songs (composed by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman) and an amusing comic turn by Josh Gad as LeFou, who's obviously got the hots for his dashing countryman, Gaston. Overall, it works on every level and should appeal to kids young and old.
