Review of Beauty and the Beast (2017) by Farah R — 21 May 2017

How can you take something perfect and hope to make it better? That's what Disney failed to comprehend when taking the decision to recreate this beloved classic. While their other live-action remakes like Cinderella and The Jungle Book proved successful, Condon's Beauty And The Beast is devoid of the magic and emotional connection that made the original a timeless masterpiece.

CGI doesn't capture the sentiment the way animation does which is why the Beast felt stoic and looked like a blob of hair drowning in gel and his expressions weren't understandable in comparison to Glen Keane's pencil tests that made him almost human.

There's no easy way to say this but Emma Watson was a terrible choice for Belle. She gave her a strong sense of character, but took away the kindness and softness in Belle's personality. Watson also failed to convey astonishment, a very important expression as her character was literally trapped in an enchanted castle.

Now regarding appearances, the makeup, hair, and costumes were extremely disappointing especially the iconic yellow ball gown. Belle looked nothing like a Disney Princess in that prom dress and her flat hairdo certainly didn't help.

I'm just so overly unhappy with how the film turned out and have many concerns about Disney's upcoming live-action reboots.