介绍:
I understand why "Les Misérables" set a new opening-day grossing record for musical films, but I don't understand why as many as 70 percent of the reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes have given it a positive rating. I mean, it is common, if not inevitable, for crazy fans to swarm the cinemas for film adaptations of their favorite work of art, but it is not so common to see critics rate a movie purely based on emotional grounds. For example, they love the original musical or they enjoy some emotional singing.
Personally, I find it to bizarre to see Wolverine put away his paws and take up singing for a change, but I am not rejecting the movie because of that. Instead I swallowed it up, calmed my stomach and kept watching. Also, I found the overflowing emotion in the singing a bit unnerving, but again I am not rejecting it – better they have some than none at all.
However, I do have to point out that emotion alone doesn't make a good musical film. There must be a certain chemistry between the singer and the stage. In the case of "Les Misérables," the directors have apparently ignored the stage and put the focus on the makeup instead. Well, the makeup has to be immaculate because it must stand up to the test of the movie's countless close-ups. And yes, there are many close-ups. In fact, someone should have reminded the directors that they were making a movie, not big screen live feeds at a pop-star concert.
Now that poor cinematography and the setting have destroyed their chemistry with the stage, the actors sound tedious even at the height of their emotions. The problem is made worse by a lack of development in the storyline and characters.
Javert played by Russell Crowe has to pursue Valjean simply because it is his duty, but what has this weird relationship done to both men? Valjean has been the stepfather of Fantine's daughter for years, but are they close? Suddenly, the little girl grows up and falls in love with a young man, and pretty soon they are married, but why? And, of course, the young man has to be in a student revolution. After all, this is France in the early 19th century. But what are the students dying for? You'll get no clue from watching the movie.
So, I can think of no good reason to enjoy this extended musical film. In fact, whenever Hugh Jackman takes a deep breath, I say: "Oh no, he is going to sing again." That should be the right critical response to this sloppy adaptation of a masterpiece. On my scale from one to 10, I give it a four.
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