The Popkorn Junkie :: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

      Ah, the big Hollywood musical. This is one forgotten genre that I am happy to see is returning. Ever since "Chicago", producers and directors alike are lining up to turn some of Broadway's biggest successes into mainstream motion pictures. Chris Columbus is readying his version of the hit musical "Rent"; Ben Kingsley stars as Fagan in a 2005 version of the classic "Oliver!"; and, cinematic versions of both "Wicked" and "The Producers" are in the works. But, when it comes to musicals, "The Phantom of the Opera" is hardly one of the most joyous. The material is dark, heavy, sad, and partially unsatisfying as a whole. This is not to say that Andrew Lloyd Webber faltered -- just to say that this was never one of his standout accomplishments. The primary reason for the musical's longevity and success is the music...the songs are memorable, the choreography tight, and the acting very fitting of the material...dark and quick...sometimes choppy and faint. If only the movie version was able to maintain that same kind of feel. Unfortunately, Joel Schumacher's newest picture is all about the eyes, and little about the ears.

      For months now, critics everywhere have been praising "The Phantom of the Opera". Some have said it is a certain Oscar contender...some going so far as to say it might even sweep the Oscars. I have read some early reviews stating that it is one of the greatest movie musicals of all-time, and that it brilliantly trumps "Chicago". Well, my friends, "The Phantom of the Opera" is no "Chicago". "Chicago" was energetic and wild...pulse pounding from beginning to end. As ensemble piece, "Chicago" gave each and every performer a chance to shine. With "The Phantom of the Opera", we get mixed vocals...some operatic and some as flat as a penny on a railroad track. Instead of the action packed, sexually suggestive dance numbers in "Chicago", we get full costumed and full made-up aristocrats trotting around with masks before their faces. Compare the energy of "Cell Block Tango" to the energy of "Masquerade" and it doesn't take a genius to figure out which one succeeds and which one falls a little flat. Alas, for all of its fault, "The Phantom of the Opera" is still very entertaining and certainly better than most of Schumacher's works.

      Emmy Rossum stars as Christine, a young ballet dancer at the prestigious Opera Populaire. When the beloved Carlotta (Minnie Driver) refuses to perform, Christine must take her place. As expected, she is magnificent and brings the house down. However, this is all thanks to her secret teacher, The Phantom of the Opera (Gerard Butler), a mysterious figure who hides in the wings and catwalks of the theatre. He has grown a secret love for Christine and wants her to join him as he makes his music. Enter Raoul (Patrick Wilson), a former love of Christine's, who strikes jealousy in the Phantom, causing a string of dark and violent events that display both the Phantom's madness, and his obsession. Miranda Richardson co-stars as Madame Giry, and Ciaran Hinds and Simon Callow as the owners of the theatre, Firmin and Andre. At the end of the film, love is gained, love is lost, and nothing is really resolved, other than the fact that we finally see what is behind the Phantom's mask.

      This is a gorgeous film to behold. The costuming and make-up are some of the best I have seen all year long. The sets are bright, beautiful, and elaborate beyond your wildest dreams. If you have seen the stage production of this show, you will be amazed as to the lengths Schumacher has gone to only make the simplest of things even better. The chandelier itself is a marvelous spectacle. In addition to these technical achievements, the dance numbers are well choreographed, though they are just not fast paced enough to compete with musicals like "Chicago" and older musicals like "A Chorus Line". They stay very true to the pace and feel of the stage production, which is not a wise thing to do in the film adaptation. When we see the men and women dancing through "Masquerade", we have this underlying idea that maybe that should be doing it with a little more energy. I think the editing could have helped solve this problem, but it lingers too steadily on dancers who don't deserve such attention.

      And, the vocals. They are either hit or miss, and most of them fall with the latter. Emmy Rossum is the standout vocalist in the film, performing all of her own songs and really demonstrating a quite commanding voice. Patrick Wilson also has a very nice range, and is usually a phenomenal actor -- here, however, he has a difficult time adjusting to the doing of both. I also think his long, golden locks made him a little too feminine for the role. Gerard Butler, though his vocals appear to be strained at time, does much better than people are giving him credit for. When he sings "Music of the Night", I dare anyone to point out a single mistake that he makes in the delivery. He was probably not the greatest choice for the role, but he does a good enough job with the delivery. Minnie Driver, God bless her, is just out of her element here. She woefully attempts an accent that really has no origin, and her overacting is very evident from beginning to end. And what made Miranda Richardson think she could sing? She does bad enough with the terrible French accent, but the terrible French singing is twice as gut-wrenching. Veteran stage actors Hinds and Callow bring much humor and talent to their roles -- they helped save a couple of the songs.

      So, as a whole, "The Phantom of the Opera" has been overpraised for too long now. I hardly expect it to rack up at the Academy Awards, as originally predicted, and I certainly don't think it is going to go down as one of the greatest movie musicals of all-time. If it is remembered for anything, let that be the fantastic Emmy Rossum, and how this film will no doubt send her career into warp speed. Though you might find yourself waning towards the middle of the film, stick with it -- the ending proves to be very emotional and very heartbreaking -- just the thing you expect from a film like this. I suspect that many people will not fall for the film's vintage musical approach...people just breaking out into song...but I like the way it tried to keep some of that stage authenticity. There is no re-writing here, like in "Chicago"...this is all consistent with Broadway. Sometimes it works...sometimes it does not.

-- Billy Ray ( 2 1/2 out of 4 pops )

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