Nominated for a total of 8 Oscars, it's difficult to not go into this film with ridiculously high expectations. Not only have you got Tom Hooper at the helm, whose previous film 'The King's Speech' swept up the Academy Awards just two years ago, but you've got the likes of Catwoman, Wolverine and Maximus Decimus Meridius belting out the tunes made famous by Susan Boyle. And it's a musical. A musical. How's that going to get an audience? It's just a case of ticking all the right boxes. For the women, could be the best weepy since Titanic; for the lads, well, you may need a little more convincing. But it's certainly safe to say that fans of the stage production will be wholeheartedly satisfied.
Much like a subtitled film, it takes a little while to get used to the cast singing almost every single line of dialogue, and the film doesn't gradually work it in either. The opening scene is a sweeping long shot of a ship being hauled into harbour by bald and bearded convicts. Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is among them; he stole a loaf of bread which resulted in a 19 year sentence. Javert (Russel Crowe) tells him that his parole has begun, making him a free man. However, when Valjean breaks his parole following a religious redemption, Javert embarks on a life-long mission to capture the elusive Valjean.
Watching this is like a wave of unsubtle emotion crashing over your face for 158 minutes, but it is somewhat refreshing. In a baron cinematic landscape where 'epic' usually means a lack of character, it's comfortable knowing that Hollywood still know how to make 'em how they used to; load, vast and unashamedly sentimental. However, the constant tear-jerk emotional reactions that the film is constantly trying to provoke, especially in the second act, becomes unintentionally grating. Also, some of the songs become extremely tedious; after all it's only musical theatre, no Bizet. Not only that, but there are times when the second act seems rushed, almost as if you barely know the characters that are meeting their demise. But that is not to take away from the astonishing raw power of the first half. Anne Hathaway steals the show as Fantine, providing a lump-in-your-throat rendition of 'I Dreamed a Dream' caked in tears and snot. If she doesn't get the Oscar this year, there is something wrong with the system.
Overall it's an enjoyable, solidly crafted movie, but it's not the weep-a-minute that so many of us were expecting. The second act doesn't live up to the brilliance of the first half, but nevertheless, it's a useful reminder that musicals are still alive and well.
My Blog: www . celluloidramblings . blogspot . co . uk
Much like a subtitled film, it takes a little while to get used to the cast singing almost every single line of dialogue, and the film doesn't gradually work it in either. The opening scene is a sweeping long shot of a ship being hauled into harbour by bald and bearded convicts. Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is among them; he stole a loaf of bread which resulted in a 19 year sentence. Javert (Russel Crowe) tells him that his parole has begun, making him a free man. However, when Valjean breaks his parole following a religious redemption, Javert embarks on a life-long mission to capture the elusive Valjean.
Watching this is like a wave of unsubtle emotion crashing over your face for 158 minutes, but it is somewhat refreshing. In a baron cinematic landscape where 'epic' usually means a lack of character, it's comfortable knowing that Hollywood still know how to make 'em how they used to; load, vast and unashamedly sentimental. However, the constant tear-jerk emotional reactions that the film is constantly trying to provoke, especially in the second act, becomes unintentionally grating. Also, some of the songs become extremely tedious; after all it's only musical theatre, no Bizet. Not only that, but there are times when the second act seems rushed, almost as if you barely know the characters that are meeting their demise. But that is not to take away from the astonishing raw power of the first half. Anne Hathaway steals the show as Fantine, providing a lump-in-your-throat rendition of 'I Dreamed a Dream' caked in tears and snot. If she doesn't get the Oscar this year, there is something wrong with the system.
Overall it's an enjoyable, solidly crafted movie, but it's not the weep-a-minute that so many of us were expecting. The second act doesn't live up to the brilliance of the first half, but nevertheless, it's a useful reminder that musicals are still alive and well.
My Blog: www . celluloidramblings . blogspot . co . uk