My girls wanted to see more Beauty and the Beast after we enjoyed the animated classic last week. So I pulled this up on Disney+ (not realizing the Christmas one is the first proper midquel).
If you click through my review history, you’ll see I’m somewhat sympathetic towards the DTV Disney sequels in general. I typically enjoy the chance to spend time with characters we love and in worlds we cherish, even if the films rarely pass above “watchable” — and frequently dip below that. Sometimes (e.g. Cinderella 3) they even do something innovative in relation to the source material.
But not like this. This is horrible. One of the worst movies I’ve ever seen, and it feels generous to even call it a “movie.”
Stitched together from three TV episodes of a (mercifully) scrapped TV series, the stories are all inane bad-sitcom plots, each more trite than the last. The writing is awful. Every single character comes across as deeply unlikable, most especially the Beast, who is here a fickle and despicable tyrant.
The animation is astonishingly ugly. The characters are erratically and clumsily drawn, changing proportions and coloring from scene to scene. Just a catastrophe.
No matter how much you love the original (or rather, especially if you love the original), avoid this at all costs.
Is It Good?
Very Not Good (1/8)
Note: This review was originally published elsewhere. Please excuse brevity or inconsistencies in style. If you have questions or feedback, please leave a comment or contact me.
Dan is the founder and head critic of The Goods. Follow Dan on Letterboxd. Join the Discord for updates and discussion.