When asked if I wanted to see this film I half-heartedly said yes with little understanding of what I was going to see, wondering if I will regret it and have teen girls crying around me (I'm a guy), I was expecting an over romantic chick flick with something to do with magic, love, forbidden love and sacrifice. Something along the lines of 'Twilight' this assumption was Incorrect. And I was pleasantly surprised and pleased this wasn't another case of sparkling vampires or something similar. For all those who haven't seen this movie and believe it's the same thing as Twilight this alone being the reason you're not going to see it, you'd be wrong like I was at the start I recommend getting a bunch of friends and seeing it on a weekend . Where Twilight was just a pure romantic love story for fanged freaks, 'Beautiful Creatures' is a contemporary version of 'Romeo and Juliet' that explores the "humanity" of an unknown supernatural world of powers, preferably known as 'Casters' that's what they call themselves.
When I came out of the cinema I was smiling, I would even go as far as saying I was 'Claimed' by it (HAHA lame joke). This was an entertaining film; all the actors had chemistry together and it was refreshing to see new actors take on a role such as this one effortlessly. The main characters that stood out from the rest would have to of been Jeremy Irons, Emma Thompson, Alden Ehrenreich, Alice Englert, Viola Davis and Emmy Rossum. (Just the main characters is all, I'll mention only three below ) Alden plays the role of Ethan Wate the main character we are first introduced to and which the plot of the story follows from his point of view, much like the books this is based off.
Alden Ehrenreich plays a convincing role as the small town boy who aspires to be different and intelligent planning to leave rather than follow the small minded community members of Gatlin that will undoubtedly stay in the town for the rest of their lives, this Southern gentlemanly style of character stays with Ethan and is more so expressed when the new girl arrives at the school, Lena Duchanne also known as "old man Ravenswood's niece."
Alice Englert plays the unknown new girl Lena and we soon realise she isn't what she seems, as windows decide to smash inwards all on their own doing, along with bizarre weather patterns that involve lightning hitting the same place, making the towns folk dust off their bibles and prayin to the good lord for mercy. But this is a romantic and all the commotion has an appealing magnetism for Ethan and so instead of avoiding the 'not so cool girl' that dresses weird and is related to the towns version of the Boogie man Macon Ravenwood (Irons), he goes and talks to her getting closer to her feelings than her not so normal family would like, the idea would be to break them apart and Lena's Uncle, Macon Ravenwood is determined to do so and who better to play the role as the intimidating relation but Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons.
Irons brings a life time of experience to the set and to see him perform in this type of genre is quite different but effective, as he plays Lena's Uncle we see he cares for her deeply and can be instantly branded with being an over protective guardian, but who wouldn't be if your nieces sixteenth birthday would decide whether or not you turn to the 'Dark or the Light' also known as the 'Claiming' simply put the Good, or the bad to the bone destroy everything in your path Evil, what a hurdle to get over right and it's not like anyone wants her to go Dark yeah? Right well there's that to.
With a well written script that involves expressing humanity in a supernatural world coupled with wit and humour and just the right amount of special effects this is a fun and entertaining film to see. It wasn't spectacular but it's worth a look. And I hope someone gives the two budding actors Alice & Alden another go because they weren't all that bad.
PS If you have read the books and disagree with how the movie panned out, don't make it your mission in life to hate it, take it for what it is, they can't make the same magic that a writer can with a pen but they can get pretty close. I had seen the movie first before I read the book, there are some major changes. But I liked the performances of the cast hence the reason for (My score) below.
Acting (On all accounts) 8/10 VFX (for what there was) 6/10 Costume & Design 8/10 Book to Film Adaptation 4.5/10 Genre (Supernatural Romance, forbidden love, did it fit well in the film?) 7.5/10
(My score) 7/10
Personal opinion I found it more enjoyable than Twilight. Worth a look, possibly not a read, you will probably be disappointed.
When I came out of the cinema I was smiling, I would even go as far as saying I was 'Claimed' by it (HAHA lame joke). This was an entertaining film; all the actors had chemistry together and it was refreshing to see new actors take on a role such as this one effortlessly. The main characters that stood out from the rest would have to of been Jeremy Irons, Emma Thompson, Alden Ehrenreich, Alice Englert, Viola Davis and Emmy Rossum. (Just the main characters is all, I'll mention only three below ) Alden plays the role of Ethan Wate the main character we are first introduced to and which the plot of the story follows from his point of view, much like the books this is based off.
Alden Ehrenreich plays a convincing role as the small town boy who aspires to be different and intelligent planning to leave rather than follow the small minded community members of Gatlin that will undoubtedly stay in the town for the rest of their lives, this Southern gentlemanly style of character stays with Ethan and is more so expressed when the new girl arrives at the school, Lena Duchanne also known as "old man Ravenswood's niece."
Alice Englert plays the unknown new girl Lena and we soon realise she isn't what she seems, as windows decide to smash inwards all on their own doing, along with bizarre weather patterns that involve lightning hitting the same place, making the towns folk dust off their bibles and prayin to the good lord for mercy. But this is a romantic and all the commotion has an appealing magnetism for Ethan and so instead of avoiding the 'not so cool girl' that dresses weird and is related to the towns version of the Boogie man Macon Ravenwood (Irons), he goes and talks to her getting closer to her feelings than her not so normal family would like, the idea would be to break them apart and Lena's Uncle, Macon Ravenwood is determined to do so and who better to play the role as the intimidating relation but Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons.
Irons brings a life time of experience to the set and to see him perform in this type of genre is quite different but effective, as he plays Lena's Uncle we see he cares for her deeply and can be instantly branded with being an over protective guardian, but who wouldn't be if your nieces sixteenth birthday would decide whether or not you turn to the 'Dark or the Light' also known as the 'Claiming' simply put the Good, or the bad to the bone destroy everything in your path Evil, what a hurdle to get over right and it's not like anyone wants her to go Dark yeah? Right well there's that to.
With a well written script that involves expressing humanity in a supernatural world coupled with wit and humour and just the right amount of special effects this is a fun and entertaining film to see. It wasn't spectacular but it's worth a look. And I hope someone gives the two budding actors Alice & Alden another go because they weren't all that bad.
PS If you have read the books and disagree with how the movie panned out, don't make it your mission in life to hate it, take it for what it is, they can't make the same magic that a writer can with a pen but they can get pretty close. I had seen the movie first before I read the book, there are some major changes. But I liked the performances of the cast hence the reason for (My score) below.
Acting (On all accounts) 8/10 VFX (for what there was) 6/10 Costume & Design 8/10 Book to Film Adaptation 4.5/10 Genre (Supernatural Romance, forbidden love, did it fit well in the film?) 7.5/10
(My score) 7/10
Personal opinion I found it more enjoyable than Twilight. Worth a look, possibly not a read, you will probably be disappointed.