NewspaperCrane
Well-Known Member
Alright, so here's my review of the 2012 movie version of Les Miserables. Before you read this you should know a few things: 1. I am a fan of this musical, and I went into this movie with high expectations. 2. The musical has been out for like thirty years now, so I'm not pulling punches on spoilers, if you cared, you should know by now. 3. Finally, I'd like to apologize in advance to the entire country of France, as well of some regions with Heavy French Influence such as: France, Quebec, The rest of Canada, Louisiana, My Systems analysis and database design teacher from college.
So, walking into a movie called "Les Miserables" naturally you'd think I would have expected the fantastic experience that the name forebodes. Upon sitting down in the theater, I thought I'd expected a nice version of Les Miserables in movie form. I wasn't expecting a perfect adaptation, I expecting the acting to be over the top, many of the scenes made too "Epic" by the new venue possibilities allowed by shedding the stage for film, and I hoped for a few nice versions of the original songs. What I saw as something else. I'm still not quite sure what it was. But what I can say is that it indeed "Was".
So, opening scene shows up. Yep, it's more epic. Instead of digging or something they're pulling in a ship for some reason. Okay, whatever. Then Comes Wolverine's first duet with Gladiator, it all goes down hill from here, they're maybe a few high points later, but this is where I lost hope. The sad thing about this scene is that as much as they tried to cut out of it, and as much as the director clearly didn't see the dialogue here important, it really is. This is what establishes the two main characters persona's in the movie. Unfortunately, it was cut by about half, and you get two things: Wolverine is a good guy with bad luck, and Gladiator is a man of the law.
The camera man for this movie should be Shot, along with the film director, and really anyone who saw this before the final print. I don't know how, but I think someone dared the director to make an entire movie without using a tripod once. I swear to god in every single scene of this movie (whether the camera is moving or not) the camera is bobbing up and down. It's more noticiable in the few scenes that don't take place at night, but it's always there, and it's the most frustrating thing I've ever scene. I also think that the director must have thought they were called "French Angles" instead of of "Dutch Angles".
When I go into a movie I try to suspend my disbelief. I like to pretend that I"m not in a room full of strangers that are all farting, coughing, and generally probably being obnoxious. I'm there to get sucked into the film. That just couldn't happen because of the camera bobbing in this movie. It's not a found footage movie... There's no reason... there's no FUCKING REASON that the camera should bob like that. Not with a movie of this budget, although they did spend a lot of money to get that one chick that's in all of Tim Burton's movies, and Borat to be in this movie and cut out or down play most of their good parts. Seriously, the amateur camera work on this movie did more to prevent my suspension of disbelief faster than the idea that French people are actually able to do something besides give up in a fight. I could probably rant about just that one thing for hours, but I'm going to move on from there.
The casting director of this movie was clearly more interested in star power than who would actually be good at playing what part in this movie. I love the idea of Wolverine and Gladiator staring in this movie as Jean ValJean and Javert, I really do. When I first heard that they'd been the ones cast I was excited. I thought they'd do well at acting the part, as well as well at singing. The two parts are difficult singing wise, but it's not something some training and coaching couldn't fix. Well, apparently it was. You could tell that all of the duet parts sang by Gladiator and Wolverine were rushed in filming. They both did very well when they were singing in their solo songs. It's a shame that they had to do this, because this really makes the first twenty minutes of this movie "Miserables", if you'll pardon my french.
The girl who played older Cosette... I know I've seen her in a bunch of stuff. I've never liked her. Ever. I don't think she's pretty, and I think she was hit in the face very hard with a shovel when she was a child. Seriously... That guy who looks kind of like Andy Samberg was supposed to fall in love with her at first glance? As if. If I saw her in a crowd I'd purposely get lost in the crowd just so I wouldn't have to look at her anymore.
That being said, the main character who was in the movie the least, was probably the best. Cat Woman did a great job as Fantine. The song "I Dreamed a Dream" was so emotionally charged and fantastically done. It was acted well, and not over acted. I've heard people saying Cat Woman should get an Oscar for this movie, and I'd have to say that I agree.
All of the things up until now I can handle. Heck, even Cat Woman's song helped ease the cost of admission. One thing stands out above everything else as the most confusing, frustrating, and ridiculous thing of this movie: Javert's Suicide. So, for those of you whom do not know Jean Valjean has the chance to kill the captured Javert... he let's him go instead. Javert, thinking that this means he owes his life to the fugitive he hunts, kills himself. There's this longish emotional song from Javert while standing on top of what looks like an Dam, Irrigation system, or something like that. The song has been sang all right... and the moment comes Gladiator Looks over the edge to the waters below... and then Jumps.
...
...
...
CRACK
While the music is playing, a superloud, sickening cracking noise is heard over the sound track. The sound designer for this movie must have recorded the sound by dropping a dead pig off of an office building or something, because the sounds of flesh and bones breaking is just terrible. The music is still playing, so it's not like this is no sound or just this sound... no... there was a specific reason why they put this sound in there. I just don't get it. Were they trying to make sure that we knew he was dead? I'm pretty sure that it was obvious. I mean, I guess Harrison Ford survived in the Fugitive... but fucking really? It was completely out of place.
In conclusion, I'd say that the movie had a lot of gaping flaws. It's going to clean house at the Oscars because it was pretty, but other than that I didn't really like it. If you like musicals, I'd go see it. If you are a film person, and not a theater person I wouldn't recommend it. Maybe I'm being nitpicky, but I'm sure if I could get past some of the things I mentioned here I could mention many other horrible, horrible things about this movie.
So, walking into a movie called "Les Miserables" naturally you'd think I would have expected the fantastic experience that the name forebodes. Upon sitting down in the theater, I thought I'd expected a nice version of Les Miserables in movie form. I wasn't expecting a perfect adaptation, I expecting the acting to be over the top, many of the scenes made too "Epic" by the new venue possibilities allowed by shedding the stage for film, and I hoped for a few nice versions of the original songs. What I saw as something else. I'm still not quite sure what it was. But what I can say is that it indeed "Was".
So, opening scene shows up. Yep, it's more epic. Instead of digging or something they're pulling in a ship for some reason. Okay, whatever. Then Comes Wolverine's first duet with Gladiator, it all goes down hill from here, they're maybe a few high points later, but this is where I lost hope. The sad thing about this scene is that as much as they tried to cut out of it, and as much as the director clearly didn't see the dialogue here important, it really is. This is what establishes the two main characters persona's in the movie. Unfortunately, it was cut by about half, and you get two things: Wolverine is a good guy with bad luck, and Gladiator is a man of the law.
The camera man for this movie should be Shot, along with the film director, and really anyone who saw this before the final print. I don't know how, but I think someone dared the director to make an entire movie without using a tripod once. I swear to god in every single scene of this movie (whether the camera is moving or not) the camera is bobbing up and down. It's more noticiable in the few scenes that don't take place at night, but it's always there, and it's the most frustrating thing I've ever scene. I also think that the director must have thought they were called "French Angles" instead of of "Dutch Angles".
When I go into a movie I try to suspend my disbelief. I like to pretend that I"m not in a room full of strangers that are all farting, coughing, and generally probably being obnoxious. I'm there to get sucked into the film. That just couldn't happen because of the camera bobbing in this movie. It's not a found footage movie... There's no reason... there's no FUCKING REASON that the camera should bob like that. Not with a movie of this budget, although they did spend a lot of money to get that one chick that's in all of Tim Burton's movies, and Borat to be in this movie and cut out or down play most of their good parts. Seriously, the amateur camera work on this movie did more to prevent my suspension of disbelief faster than the idea that French people are actually able to do something besides give up in a fight. I could probably rant about just that one thing for hours, but I'm going to move on from there.
The casting director of this movie was clearly more interested in star power than who would actually be good at playing what part in this movie. I love the idea of Wolverine and Gladiator staring in this movie as Jean ValJean and Javert, I really do. When I first heard that they'd been the ones cast I was excited. I thought they'd do well at acting the part, as well as well at singing. The two parts are difficult singing wise, but it's not something some training and coaching couldn't fix. Well, apparently it was. You could tell that all of the duet parts sang by Gladiator and Wolverine were rushed in filming. They both did very well when they were singing in their solo songs. It's a shame that they had to do this, because this really makes the first twenty minutes of this movie "Miserables", if you'll pardon my french.
The girl who played older Cosette... I know I've seen her in a bunch of stuff. I've never liked her. Ever. I don't think she's pretty, and I think she was hit in the face very hard with a shovel when she was a child. Seriously... That guy who looks kind of like Andy Samberg was supposed to fall in love with her at first glance? As if. If I saw her in a crowd I'd purposely get lost in the crowd just so I wouldn't have to look at her anymore.
That being said, the main character who was in the movie the least, was probably the best. Cat Woman did a great job as Fantine. The song "I Dreamed a Dream" was so emotionally charged and fantastically done. It was acted well, and not over acted. I've heard people saying Cat Woman should get an Oscar for this movie, and I'd have to say that I agree.
All of the things up until now I can handle. Heck, even Cat Woman's song helped ease the cost of admission. One thing stands out above everything else as the most confusing, frustrating, and ridiculous thing of this movie: Javert's Suicide. So, for those of you whom do not know Jean Valjean has the chance to kill the captured Javert... he let's him go instead. Javert, thinking that this means he owes his life to the fugitive he hunts, kills himself. There's this longish emotional song from Javert while standing on top of what looks like an Dam, Irrigation system, or something like that. The song has been sang all right... and the moment comes Gladiator Looks over the edge to the waters below... and then Jumps.
...
...
...
CRACK
While the music is playing, a superloud, sickening cracking noise is heard over the sound track. The sound designer for this movie must have recorded the sound by dropping a dead pig off of an office building or something, because the sounds of flesh and bones breaking is just terrible. The music is still playing, so it's not like this is no sound or just this sound... no... there was a specific reason why they put this sound in there. I just don't get it. Were they trying to make sure that we knew he was dead? I'm pretty sure that it was obvious. I mean, I guess Harrison Ford survived in the Fugitive... but fucking really? It was completely out of place.
In conclusion, I'd say that the movie had a lot of gaping flaws. It's going to clean house at the Oscars because it was pretty, but other than that I didn't really like it. If you like musicals, I'd go see it. If you are a film person, and not a theater person I wouldn't recommend it. Maybe I'm being nitpicky, but I'm sure if I could get past some of the things I mentioned here I could mention many other horrible, horrible things about this movie.
