Review of Beauty and the Beast (2017) by Dirigiblepulp — 21 Apr 2017

A perfectly alright, manufactured piece of money-making nostalgia product. If that seems harsh, that's because it is and deservedly so. If the best this movie has to offer is a few fixes to an animated film's flimsy plot, and a complimentary "gay" scene, what's the point? The music is intact, though we already had that. The beast, set-pieces, and overall production design are believable but not enough that the animated film, with its whimsy and charm, will be forgotten any time soon.

Emma Watson is a perfect Belle, but ultimately it doesn't matter. This film is what it is. It's not a bad movie in most respects, there is plenty of good craftsmanship on display, but it isn't art and it doesn't aspire to be. It's what a cheeseburger would taste like in purgatory.