'The Greatest Showman' film review
- By atmnl
- •
- 03 Feb, 2018
- •
IMDB overview: Celebrates the birth of show business, and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation. (PG)
Main cast:
Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Keala Settle
Release date:
January 31, 2018
Running time:
1h 45mins
They sing of hope and imagination. They show a new perspective of optimism and acceptance.
This is one of the films we've been so excited to see this year! It's theatrical release date in the Philippines is a month later than the US and it was showed the same time as The Maze Runner and Winchester but this is what we've been waiting to see most. Why?
1. Hugh Jackman as "The Greatest Showman".
Need we say more?
2.The movie is totally different from La La Land, Les Miz, Moulin Rouge, and not even close to any High School Musical film. But they all have something in common - they're all awesome musicals!
3. Most of the songs were written by songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who just happened to be the dream team behind Smash, Grant Gustin's "Runnin' Home To You" and La La Land's Oscar-winning "City of Stars".
4. Zac Efron singing and dancing again. ❤️ (Remember our deeply rooted love for Troy Bolton?)
5. Tony award-winner Keala Settle is on the big screen!
6. The ensemble looks so awesome - totally different from their usual project, but they were able to portray their characters really well.
And trust us -- you'll be able to name many more after you see the movie!
..And so many more reasons that we suggest you to continue enumerating after reading our review. :)
This film is perfect if you're looking for something refreshing -- something that blooms of hope. This is perfect for you if you want a break from the realistic and heartbreaking films we're so used to lately. It'll let you have a good cry and make you realize how important it is to keep on loving and dreaming because at the end of the day, having big dreams and loving unconditionally is what turns you into a better person.
Does that sound too cliche? Well, it does! Before watching the film, we didn't expect too much since we had a lot of speculations about the plot. It went something along the lines of a rags to riches story, or just another one of those 'love me for who I am' stories featuring the members of the circus. But it wasn't.
Surprisingly, the story was simple but it was delivered spectacularly. It's lavish in terms of character development, but it was executed perfectly.
There's also the prevalent beauty of a biographical film. Viewers can easily relate to the characters knowing that they actually existed years ago and that the situations actually happened. This shows that this story of success, self-discovery, and acceptance can be experienced by anyone.
The main message of this story is that it can happen to you, and this was shared to us through striking musical numbers, picturesque production setups while the characters dance and sing their hearts out like no one's watching.
If opera or the usual classic musicals aren't your cup of tea, you won't feel left out because the songs were well-written for this generation. They're catchy, upbeat, and worth-saving onto your playlist! Each song is meaningful, emotional, real, and intense.
Whether you're a dreamer, a wife, a singer, a philanthropist, or just simply looking for your place in the world - there's a song in the film that you can relate to.
It takes a bit of getting used to listening to Hugh Jackman singing like a pop star. His role as Barnum is nowhere near Jean Valjean but he was able to play the showman perfectly. His role and his character's redemption is one of the reasons why we're giving him a standing ovation.
Story: 5/5
The plot may be simple but it exceeded the boring simplicity we've been seeing a lot lately. Each moment was made to stand out.
Effects and cinematography: 5/5
You'll have to see how time flies here. The technical transitions are gold, and even from the very first scene, the cinematography had our mouths hanging open. (Not even kidding!)
Score and soundtrack: 5/5
It was amazing! Personally, before this, we've never met a musical or a film where we loved all the songs. There's always one or two songs that we don't like as much as the others. But this one takes the cake! While we were watching this, we were already planning on adding each song to our playlist. Check it out for yourself here. 😉
Based from one of the hits of the film 'This Is Me', The Greatest Showman is bursting through the barricades and reaching for the sun. You should know that there's a place for them in your heart for they are glorious. They deserve your love, there's nothing they're not worthy of. 😉
⬆️You'll love this reference even more after you watch the film! So go see it now!
Watch the trailer here:
