Storyline: A modern-day take on the “Beauty and the Beast” tale where a New York teen is transformed into a hideous monster in order to find true love.
Cast: Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Hudgens, Mary-Kate Olsen, Peter Krause, Neil Patrick Harris
Director: Daniel Barnz
Genre: Romance, Fantasy
Release Date: March 4, 2011
Run Time: 86min
MPAA Rating: PG 13 for language including some crude comments, drug references and brief violence.
Distributor: CBS Films
U.S. Box Office: $27,854,896
Beastly was supposedly a modern day Beauty and the Beast kind of story but I just wasn’t impressed. Yes the cast were quite good looking and Mary-Kate Olsen didn’t suffer any fashion faux pas in the film; in fact she rather looked quite dashing, beautiful and unique, but still their overall performance is just dreadful. Though Mary-Kate Olsen did kinda well during her short appearance in the film, it might also be creditable to the effects and camera angle shots done in the film. Vanessa was okay but the “I am Number Four” main actor still has a lot to prove with his acting skills.
The story was just blah! There was nothing new or romantic about the film. It lacked the mushiness already banked on by famous franchises like the Twilight Saga. They fell short on hitting the emotional part of the film. It was a bit rushed and it just lacked the moments where love was supposed to grow. Though there were some parts that had some tips about winning someone’s affection, they weren’t really able to focus on it thus the story was a bit lost and not exploited to its full potential. They should have just made a real life version of the animated Beauty and the Beast film; at least they’d have a script already there for them to follow.
The effects and environment of the film was quite good. I love how they focused on vanity from the start and their use of billboards to really point to mere beauty and the physical stuff. It was also something very modern, like a Sex and the City kind of environment only with deeper use of music and filming effects. Their use of fashion was also something good. Banking on stuff that makes everything else work and earn is something that other film makers should follow should they wish for people to patronize them. Fashion has been used by popular movies and series like that of Gossip Girl.
I give this movie a 4 out of 10. I would tell teenagers who are funs of Pettyfer and Hudgens to go watch since they might not really find it to be bad for they will just be watching more on the physical beauty of the cast. Don’t forget to notice the heeled shoes Mary-Kate wore since the camera was at one time or two focusing on it. It is a movie that can be watched when you’ve nothing else to do or if you haven’t any idea about the ratings of this movie.
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