For those of you who don't know, the story of the Phantom of the Opera takes place in the 19th Century Paris. The Opera House there is haunted by a disfigured musical genius (The Phantom) who trains and loves a young singer, Christine. He blackmails the managers to give her the leading roles and either murders or humiliates those who get in his way.But then the Phantom learns that Christine loves another man, a young Viscount named Raoul ...and you do the math.
With the acting, the supporting cast is very enjoyable. The mugging and timing of the two managers, Firmin and Andre, and even the mousy conductor Rayer, are delightful. Jennifer Ellison had an adorable light mezzo as the ballerina Meg Giry. Miranda Richardson is sometimes stiff, but still manages to play a strong and motherly Madame Giry. Minnie Driver is incredibly over-the-top as the Italian diva Carlotta, and its hilarious to watch her be as bratty and stereo typically Italian as humanly possible.
As a pre-teen and even to this day, I idolized Emmy Rossum. As Christine, she is one of my favorites. I swear, she is almost female Jesus. Her Christine is the embodiment of all things pure, sweet, innocent...etc. in a way that isn't wimpy, or boring like many ingenues tend to be. She also never goes over-the-top and carries a (mostly) subtle performance. While there are a few moments where her vocal performance is not 100% perfect, and only lightly operatic...holy smokes, that voice! Her singing is honestly one of the most beautiful singing voices I have ever heard. I also like the idea of Christine being 16 (Rossums age when the movie was filmed), her actions and decisions make more sense with a teenager rather than a 22 year old. Patrick Wilson, for me, is the ideal Raoul. I know this varies with directors, actors, and audience interpretation, but I never thought of Raoul as an arrogant fop. I thought of him as a brave, caring gentleman who loves Christine and would die for her. It is sad to me when the actor playing Raoul goes for the fop, but Wilson, with his smooth, clean baro-tenor fulfills the gentleman picture-his Raoul is willing to defend Christine from the Phantoms murderous rage. Yes, you heard me, I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH CHRISTINE CHOOSING RAOUL OVER THE PHANTOM AND I AGREE WITH HER (a subject I would like to write a book on, and even may, but will save for later).
What about The Phantom himself, Gerard Butler? I have a lot of mixed feelings about his performance. His singing tends to be flat, pushy, and even speak-singy, but he has lots of presence and great chemistry with Rossum. He also shows different shades of the character, from charmer to victim to threat, which I admire when other Phantoms are just "MEEHHH PITY ME!!" However he also can have some really over-the-top moments, too ("YOU LITTLE LYING DELI-LAH"). He makes all of the issues I have with the character of the Phantom way more obvious, like he seems to be more concerned with his wants and needs (which is lust) rather than thinking more about Christine's wants and needs (which is love) until the very end. Its not that I don't pity the Phantom or think he doesn't deserve happiness, it just keeps me from wanting him to win in the end.
Schumacher is notorious for camp, and this movie seems to be pumped with it in its every vein. Even small details that you think wouldn't matter look like they cost a fortune to be made and these things are seen in a split second and then hardly to never seen again. But Schumacher does not want this film to be thought-provoking Oscar bait. No, this is meant to be a gorgeous better-than replica of the stage show to please the audience. But some moments come off as silly rather than grand. For Example, the stage version of "Past the Point of No Return" is better at playing with subtlety and mystery of the sexuality in the show. But the staging and delivery of this number in the film screams "COPULATION! COPULATION! WAHOO!" to the point of stupidity. This is a film that prefers emotion and fantasy rather than realism and logic. Like when it snows during "All I ask of You" when its supposed to be in October, but snowy weather is more "romantic." Another example is in the flashback with the Phantom being beat as a child in the freak show in front of an audience that laughs at him. I don't think people are that cruel to laugh at a kid being beat, even if he was deformed, but it's used to get the audience to pity him. Despite these "alterations" from the show, I still prefer the ending in the film over the stage ending. I won't give it away if you haven't seen it, but it adds a tender nostalgia and bitter sweetness to the story's "tragic" ending. It is a much more satisfying and believable conclusion rather than the ghastly insult to humankind known as "Love Never Dies."
The set was modeled after the actual Paris Opera House, and from photos and videos I have seen of the building, even though the background can look fake at times, its very accurate. The set, costumes, and use of light are elaborate and intricate and the cinematography does an outstanding job showing us all of these nooks and crannies. Its best job is during "Masquerade" where the unique costuming and bright lights are at their best and the camera allows us to soak up all of the grandeur. But sometimes there is a scene where more than one person is talking and the camera is not wide enough to show both speakers and only stays on one persons face (Especially during "Notes/Prima Donna"). While I am pointing out certain numbers, I should say that the 100-piece orchestra is out of this world. This is a large score that required a large and talented orchestra. The music under their care sounds even more lush, and romantic, which is the "Phantom" score in a nutshell.
So despite its many sins, I still cannot find it in my heart to hate this movie. The number of things that pour on the cheese can raise eyebrows, even for Phantom. Some performances and ideas for the adaption are not the greatest, and the direction is pretty weak. Its a musical that fits the stage better than the big screen. But to me, "The Phantom of the Opera" is one of those organically good stories. So even an adaption that is not the best adaption is still enjoyable if it has a thread of the original tale. It is visually and (mostly) musically stunning. While there are bad performances, there are also some appealing ones. Its perfect for a winter morning, or as a popcorn-muncher after a hard day at school or work. I would not recommend this if you are a hard-core Phan of the stage show or a Phantom purist who has to have things done in specific ways like they do it on the stage. But if you have not seen the stage show or you are interested in or curious about the "Phantom" story or even just musicals, give it a try. This is definitely one I'll save for a Saturday Morning or late night every month or so.
