Review of Beautiful Creatures (2013) by Nesbitt10 — 23 Mar 2013

Clearly, "Beautiful Creatures" is aiming to fill the void left in the world following the conclusions of the "Twilight" and "Harry Potter" film series. Fantasy fans needing to sink their teeth into something new could do worse than this film adaptation of the first book of Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl's Caster Chronicles.

Like The "Twilight" Saga, "Beautiful Creatures" adapts a young novel series and tells a story of teen romance with supernatural elements. Thus, comparisons are inevitable, and the studio makes the wise decision to open the film on Valentine's Day, the one day of the year when romance movies are not just tolerated but eaten up in theaters.

Young love blooms between Ethan Wate (Alden Ehrenreich), a literati wannabe stuck in small-town Gatlin, South Carolina, and Lena Duchannes (Alice Englert), a visiting witch. Much is made of the two reading and quoting Kurt Vonnegut, Henry Miller, and the street poetry of Charles Bukowski.

Lena is worried about being claimed by the Dark, so what should she do to avoid such a fate? Well, for one and the primary concern of the plot here she needs to stay away from the nonmagical "mortal" boy she's fallen for.

Adapted and directed by Richard LaGravenese ("P.S. I Love You, The Freedom Writers"), "Beautiful Creatures" doesn't do the best job of storytelling. Late in the film, I was confused and surprised to discover there were two distinct villains, not just one, with the power to resemble others.

That seems like critical information that should be spelled out more clearly than it is. Decently acted and nicely shot, "Beautiful Creatures" cannot sustain the intrigue of its opening and literature.

It's warmed-over "Twilight", with witches instead of vampires, only the witches are called casters-- as in spell casters. When Lena hits her 16th birthday, she'll be called to fight with the light side or the dark side.

It's a bigger yawn than it sounds. As supernatural types, Oscar winners Jeremy Irons and Emma Thompson overact so strenuously--and so outrageously awful with Southern accents- that you fear the damage this may do to their reputations.

The movie feels longer than it is, and doesn't come together in a way that will engage many adults or kids outside the targeted teen demographic. That, mixed with the film's closed ending---suggests not much of a future for this franchise.

Additional reviews at: http://www.rottentomatoes.