Review of The Greatest Showman (2017) by Wayne K — 01 Apr 2018

A film loved by audiences but not so much by critics, The Greatest Showman is shallow in terms of examining characters, but delivers all the way when it comes to eye candy and joyous entertainment. The first half is incredible, assembling together a mismatched crew and busting out catchy tune after catchy tune.

The film burns with an infectious energy and a breezy pace, and Jackman is a very likably lead, grinning and smart-talking his way past every doubter, critic and cynic. The process by which he assembles his circus is a too rushed and many time consuming things happen with relative ease.

Then as the second half arrives, everything seems to take much longer, and the films goes through its inevitable mopey phase, only to be saved by its equally inevitable happy reunion. It manages to keep annoying, manufactured conflict to a minimum, and the film is definitely more of a study of P.

T. Barnum's achievements rather than an analysis of his methods and practises, which might explain why critics wrote it off as superficial. But as a celebration, it succeeds emphatically. If you're a fan of musicals you will eat it up, and even if you're not the production design, choreography and song numbers are more than enough to keep your eyes open and your feet tapping.