"Black Beauty" is a nice, bitter-sweet movie. It has a stunning soundtrack, OK acting, a nice story, gorgeous cinematography, and a few likable characters. There have been a lot of adapt ions, but this one shines above the rest because of it's faithfulness to the book.
It's main weaknesses lie in the story. It's kind of slight, and a little slow. It's not as absorbing as I would like, but it's still enjoyable. The other main weakness is the acting. The voice-over of Black Beauty stands out too much sometimes, but not enough to spoil the movie, and isn't all that bad. The other actors are only mediocre, and the characters they portray are sometimes stock characters.
Its main strengths lie in the artistic realm. The cinematography is so beautiful it causes your heart to beat faster. The score by Danny Elfman is simply outstanding; the strings are breathtaking. If you don't like that movie you will still love the score.
I would like to mention its family friendliness. There are one or two scenes that may frighten the youngest and most sensitive children, but there are no morality issues.
This movie may function for some as an animal-rights movie. The story was written with that in mind, when horses were treated very cruelly. However it doesn't raise animals above humans the way that movies like "Spirit: The Stallion of Camero" does.
So in summary, it's a good little movie, good for younger children, and maybe for a date movie. Overlooking some weaknesses, it's an enjoyable movie.
It's main weaknesses lie in the story. It's kind of slight, and a little slow. It's not as absorbing as I would like, but it's still enjoyable. The other main weakness is the acting. The voice-over of Black Beauty stands out too much sometimes, but not enough to spoil the movie, and isn't all that bad. The other actors are only mediocre, and the characters they portray are sometimes stock characters.
Its main strengths lie in the artistic realm. The cinematography is so beautiful it causes your heart to beat faster. The score by Danny Elfman is simply outstanding; the strings are breathtaking. If you don't like that movie you will still love the score.
I would like to mention its family friendliness. There are one or two scenes that may frighten the youngest and most sensitive children, but there are no morality issues.
This movie may function for some as an animal-rights movie. The story was written with that in mind, when horses were treated very cruelly. However it doesn't raise animals above humans the way that movies like "Spirit: The Stallion of Camero" does.
So in summary, it's a good little movie, good for younger children, and maybe for a date movie. Overlooking some weaknesses, it's an enjoyable movie.