La Belle et la Bête

I enjoyed this French version of "Beauty and The Beast" for the most part. The cinematography and character designs are beautiful. I liked the fantasy atmosphere and sense of exploration in the first half of the film. I also liked the mystery of the Beast's origin.

I appreciate the fact that it is more accurate to the fairy tale than previous adaptations. That being said, the second half deviates from the original story in a few respects and I found it sluggish in some parts. I found the final action sequence a bit too fantastical and left unexplained except via Deus Ex Machina. However, it certainly looks impressive.

Ultimately, the film isn't perfect. The story has been done many times before and this rendition is sluggish at times. Never-the-less, I recommend watching the film for its stunning beauty alone.