LIKES:
Beautiful Cinematography Great Coming of Age Approach, at least at the beginning Takes the Horse perspective, so different Poetic and Beautiful, if Sad Hits those heartwarming moments just right
Dislikes: Slow No real character development details Simplistic intense moments Very fast progression of the good parts Writing a bit a bland in terms of dialogue and character involvement Extremely Depressing and heartbreaking for much of the movie
Summary: I give many movies a hand these days in their ability to capture the beauty of the world through the camera. Black Beauty's opening shot is gorgeous of the wild life of the mustangs and the spirit that Winslet's voice over explains. Disney's crew uses their technology to constantly paint the picture and pull you into the scene, whether it be out on the open plains feeling free, or in some of the stables where each condition brings a different mood that really does affect the audience member if you are like me. This technique fits well with the whole coming of age approach this movie takes, using the simple idea of setting being the paint brush that creates the experience and guiding you through the harsh reality of life. What's different from this though, is that though we have Jo's (Mackenzie Foy) own emotional growth, the movie really is more about Beauty (Winslet) and how she changes over the course of a horse's life. While certainly not the original, this perspective gets points for being different and providing a fresher, more direct take on the horse's life compared to other movies. I did enjoy Winslet's commentary at many times, finding the words poetic, as her philosophical thoughts sprang out through my soundbar. The many metaphors and nods to various cultures, tied with the scenes that were running tandem with it, further brought out the "Beauty" of the movie, which I think will speak to a lot of audiences with similar looks on life (at least according to my friend's Facebook status they would). And though the movie has many sad moments, the movie has those moments where the alignment of music, shots, and writing is perfect to really give you goosebumps, helping to harbor you in the shores from the storm of depression this movie is.
As I'm sure you have already read though, the movie has some shortcoming for me personally I did not enjoy. Starting out, the movie has little character development outside of the mind of Beauty, the rest of the cast, including Jo, sort of diluted down to props that Beauty has to accept. Sure, they make for some interesting and "dynamic" experiences, but given the previous installments and how the horse affected their lives, I would have loved to have seen more involvement to get that dynamic nature other horse movies have gotten. Throw in that much of the solutions and "exciting" moments are very simplistic, most of the hurdles leapt without so much as an afterthought during the "tense" moments made the spectacle less grand given all the buildup they were working towards, teasing you that something spectacular would come. This was especially true for one set of characters I hoped would have gotten the kick in the pants that they really needed, but nope, happened in the background and very lackluster finish for that story arc. I guess going with the coming of age and realism vibe, they kept to their standard, as even the good moments for the other characters was flown over, again much of the human cast's lives being pushed to the background as Beauty's journey progressed. Sadly, I would have liked to stay on these good points a little more to help lighten the mood and energy of the movie, but then again life does have a way of pulling the joyful moments out from under you, so it fits. And despite all this poetic action from the mind of the wild mare, the writing surprisingly is very flat for much of the movie. At times they nail the line, giving you a quote to belt out for future days, or checking that box for proper description of the action (partnering over breaking) that I did quite enjoy. But much of the time was just simplistic dialogue you might have with a teenager, and though again realistic, it's boring given much of the film's already somber tone. Throw in the fact that much of the film is depressing and heartbreaking, and you get a journey that is not easy for people like myself. I can't say much without spoiling, but let's just say seeing some of the treatments in this film, is more than enough to drop your spirits down a notch or too, so go in warned. All of this comes down to a very slow pace for yours truly, and though I'm a bit of an action freak, this pace was certainly slower than I would have liked. It magnifies all the dislikes for me and leads to again a blander experience that really takes the enjoyment out of this film for many when I read their posits. So don't go in there ready for bed, or you might be fighting sleep.
The VERDICT:
Black Beauty is certainly beautiful on the literary device and cinematography standpoints. The horse's perspective is certainly unique and brings a lot of emotional delight and lessons with it, and just seeing this amazing horse work on camera is a treat to the eyes. Yet, the movie gets lost in realism, beauty, and the life lessons that it loses a bit of the entertainment spectacle and story telling that I enjoy in these movies. The fact that the human partner story is sort of lost midway through the movie and used as merely a motivational saying of the horse did not impress me, and the fact that there are still some poetic justice moments lacking did not deliver on the promise the trailer laid. What is really limiting for me on this movie, is that is a very depressing movie, and though I understand that is the story, but to cut out the parts that help weather the depression was not my favorite choice. And diluting the justice parts to give more of that poetic realism got a little old for me. And when all of this feels a bit slow, well... it only helps to amplify how sad this story really is. Thus, the people who will like this tale the best are those who enjoy the somber nature tales, little girls and those who love horses, and those Disney fanatics who think they do little wrong. As such, this movie is fine for the viewing online should you have Disney+, but again if you miss it, not the biggest blockbuster to grace the small screen. My scores are:
Drama/Family: 6.5 Movie Overall: 5.0
Beautiful Cinematography Great Coming of Age Approach, at least at the beginning Takes the Horse perspective, so different Poetic and Beautiful, if Sad Hits those heartwarming moments just right
Dislikes: Slow No real character development details Simplistic intense moments Very fast progression of the good parts Writing a bit a bland in terms of dialogue and character involvement Extremely Depressing and heartbreaking for much of the movie
Summary: I give many movies a hand these days in their ability to capture the beauty of the world through the camera. Black Beauty's opening shot is gorgeous of the wild life of the mustangs and the spirit that Winslet's voice over explains. Disney's crew uses their technology to constantly paint the picture and pull you into the scene, whether it be out on the open plains feeling free, or in some of the stables where each condition brings a different mood that really does affect the audience member if you are like me. This technique fits well with the whole coming of age approach this movie takes, using the simple idea of setting being the paint brush that creates the experience and guiding you through the harsh reality of life. What's different from this though, is that though we have Jo's (Mackenzie Foy) own emotional growth, the movie really is more about Beauty (Winslet) and how she changes over the course of a horse's life. While certainly not the original, this perspective gets points for being different and providing a fresher, more direct take on the horse's life compared to other movies. I did enjoy Winslet's commentary at many times, finding the words poetic, as her philosophical thoughts sprang out through my soundbar. The many metaphors and nods to various cultures, tied with the scenes that were running tandem with it, further brought out the "Beauty" of the movie, which I think will speak to a lot of audiences with similar looks on life (at least according to my friend's Facebook status they would). And though the movie has many sad moments, the movie has those moments where the alignment of music, shots, and writing is perfect to really give you goosebumps, helping to harbor you in the shores from the storm of depression this movie is.
As I'm sure you have already read though, the movie has some shortcoming for me personally I did not enjoy. Starting out, the movie has little character development outside of the mind of Beauty, the rest of the cast, including Jo, sort of diluted down to props that Beauty has to accept. Sure, they make for some interesting and "dynamic" experiences, but given the previous installments and how the horse affected their lives, I would have loved to have seen more involvement to get that dynamic nature other horse movies have gotten. Throw in that much of the solutions and "exciting" moments are very simplistic, most of the hurdles leapt without so much as an afterthought during the "tense" moments made the spectacle less grand given all the buildup they were working towards, teasing you that something spectacular would come. This was especially true for one set of characters I hoped would have gotten the kick in the pants that they really needed, but nope, happened in the background and very lackluster finish for that story arc. I guess going with the coming of age and realism vibe, they kept to their standard, as even the good moments for the other characters was flown over, again much of the human cast's lives being pushed to the background as Beauty's journey progressed. Sadly, I would have liked to stay on these good points a little more to help lighten the mood and energy of the movie, but then again life does have a way of pulling the joyful moments out from under you, so it fits. And despite all this poetic action from the mind of the wild mare, the writing surprisingly is very flat for much of the movie. At times they nail the line, giving you a quote to belt out for future days, or checking that box for proper description of the action (partnering over breaking) that I did quite enjoy. But much of the time was just simplistic dialogue you might have with a teenager, and though again realistic, it's boring given much of the film's already somber tone. Throw in the fact that much of the film is depressing and heartbreaking, and you get a journey that is not easy for people like myself. I can't say much without spoiling, but let's just say seeing some of the treatments in this film, is more than enough to drop your spirits down a notch or too, so go in warned. All of this comes down to a very slow pace for yours truly, and though I'm a bit of an action freak, this pace was certainly slower than I would have liked. It magnifies all the dislikes for me and leads to again a blander experience that really takes the enjoyment out of this film for many when I read their posits. So don't go in there ready for bed, or you might be fighting sleep.
The VERDICT:
Black Beauty is certainly beautiful on the literary device and cinematography standpoints. The horse's perspective is certainly unique and brings a lot of emotional delight and lessons with it, and just seeing this amazing horse work on camera is a treat to the eyes. Yet, the movie gets lost in realism, beauty, and the life lessons that it loses a bit of the entertainment spectacle and story telling that I enjoy in these movies. The fact that the human partner story is sort of lost midway through the movie and used as merely a motivational saying of the horse did not impress me, and the fact that there are still some poetic justice moments lacking did not deliver on the promise the trailer laid. What is really limiting for me on this movie, is that is a very depressing movie, and though I understand that is the story, but to cut out the parts that help weather the depression was not my favorite choice. And diluting the justice parts to give more of that poetic realism got a little old for me. And when all of this feels a bit slow, well... it only helps to amplify how sad this story really is. Thus, the people who will like this tale the best are those who enjoy the somber nature tales, little girls and those who love horses, and those Disney fanatics who think they do little wrong. As such, this movie is fine for the viewing online should you have Disney+, but again if you miss it, not the biggest blockbuster to grace the small screen. My scores are:
Drama/Family: 6.5 Movie Overall: 5.0