I hated Twilight. I hated it so much. So when I heard Bill Condon was directing this live action remake of Beauty and the Beast, I had a bit of fear in my heart. That, and the fact that anyone who touches Disney in any way, in my eyes, is playing with fire considering the field of masses that can storm into action if betrayed or disappointed. I was worried that it would be made really cheesy. I mean, the 1991 animated version was cheesy, but I didn’t know that then. I was 2. Nevertheless, the live action remake is here and I am so happy with it and its level of cheesiness.

Minus a few extra little bits and pieces, including new songs, the movie is almost a replica of the beloved animated version. From script to songs, to costume and set design, it can be very well identical.

Emma Watson was a perfect Belle. When you sit and actually break down each Disney princess, very few were strong independent women. As an activist for the feminist movement, Watson is able to merge very well together with Belle. Belle is thought as ‘peculiar’ because she reads and girls don’t read, because they shouldn’t be able to think according to folks in this tiny town in France. She is never a damsel in distress, and is always thinking ahead and stands up for every one of her rights. That is why Belle chose Watson, as much as Watson chose Belle.

The CGI on Beast (Dan Stevens) himself is great. Both his angry expression and display of sympathy are immaculate. I love the way Beast looks from top to bottom, despite some reviews saying how unrealistic he looks. It doesn’t seem that way to me. For a computerised image, it is quite spot on. As for choice of actor, the animated prince was never very attractive, so Stevens with long hair is a great choice. He is handsome but not overly gorgeous.

While Watson is a great Belle, the one that takes the cake is Luke Evans as Gaston. He is able to embody the narcissistic hunter perfectly. From hair line, to eyebrows, Evans is a mirror image of the animated version. I now cannot imagine anyone else as Gaston. He is able to be both likable and despised.

Maurice (Kevin Kline) is one of the few characters who are different compared to his original persona. Instead of an inventor, he is an artist. He also doesn’t go to a fair to display his axe machine. Kline doesn’t play him as a ‘looney’ either. In the 1991 original, Gaston threatens to throw Maurice into a mental asylum for coming home and stressing to the town about the Beast who has Belle. He tells him he will help him get her back if Maurice gives Gaston his blessing for him to marry Belle, otherwise he will be thrown into a mental asylum as Gaston convinces the town that Maurice is not okay. This time Maurice is thrown into a kart destined for the asylum because he accuses Gaston of leaving him out for dead to be eaten by the wolves. In this version, Gaston convinces the town that Maurice is crazy to speak of him like that. Few scenes later, we realise Chip doesn’t make the journey back to the town as he does in the animated version, where he is also the reason Belle and Maurice are rescued from the prison they were thrown into. While Gaston is off to ‘kill the beast,’ Belle and Maurice’s prison break is quite different from the original.

As for the ‘gay agenda’ that some people were so worried about, a child won’t get it. I don’t think it’s played out as badly (because it’s such a horrible thing to some) as some overly sensitive critics have made it out. LeFou (Josh Gab) is somewhat more flamboyant this time. There is also a scene where one of Gaston’s ‘soldiers’ has female attire thrown on him with make up thanks to wardrobe, Madame Garderobe (Audra McDonald), and he likes it. I honestly believe that children will find it to be a silly joke. It’s adults that need to put their sensitive pants away, and just laugh at the extremely minor moment. Kids are naïve and so should some adults to prevent them from making inane decisions like boycotting a film. This stuff is all around us every day. If they don’t want to see it, hear about it, or accept it then boycott life instead?

A great inclusion to the film is where the back-story of our main characters is revealed. We finally get an idea of what may have happened to Belle’s mother and the type of influence Beast’s parents had on his upbringing.

One thing that confused me was the addition of the enchantress, Agathe (Hattie Morahan). She appears when all the objects become human again and Beast turns back into the prince. She has sort of been slotted in there to make a little more sense of the resurrection of the Beast and the people who lived in his castle. But I didn’t think it was required. It appeared random. This isn’t the only time her presence was unusual. We never see the enchantress after she puts the curse onto the beast and his castle, and that’s how it should have stayed in this remake. Allow the rose to do the rest.

Ewan McGregor as our favourite candle stick holder with a French accent, Lumiere, Emma Thompson who I absolutely adore, as Mrs Potts and Ian McKellen as the grumpy clock, Cogsworth, just to name a few of the legends that joined the cast, were also given back-stories we never thought existed. As for the film itself, they all played off each other entertainingly and they steal the scenes they were in. Be Our Guest is once again my favourite Beauty and the Beast tune. It is longer by a couple of minutes and still so lovable.

When it comes to set and costume design, I am impressed. Everything looks stunning, including the famous yellow gown. The rose is perfect. The music hasn’t been touched up too much, but where it has, it is not a distraction at all. These three on their own deserve a 5 out of 5.

Devoted Disney fans – don’t worry. It has been done very well. I for one am the type who cries during the fireworks display at Disneyland, every time. So, when I say I take my live action remakes of my childhood animated memories seriously, you better damn well believe it. I am beyond pleased with the efforts here and I can’t wait to watch it all over again. Bring on the other remakes!

Beauty and the Beast has fantastic cast choices, it looks breathtaking, and sounds joyous. Include the one thing that made me ‘umm,’ this Disney live action remake is a solid 4 out of 5.