When you have a story as good as the Phantom of the Opera is, and music and words that reflect the powerful meaning of that story, everything else either falls right into place, or falls by the wayside. In this film, I feel it fell right into place. Andrew Lloyd Weber's score remains in both the stage version and the film version- the heart of the story. Everything else simply had to fit with that. And the visuals (lighting, costumes, sets, everything) certainly fit. The vocals weren't exactly breathtaking by most of the cast, but not bad either. What stood out to me was the overall performance of Gerard Butler as the Phantom. A character I already sympathized with, he pushed even further and made me simply fall in love with. The scenes between Christine and Raoul were also sturdy and believable, and they allowed me to relive a story I already knew well, even forming new opinions about. It was worth my money, and I'd see it again, but I've been dying to get back and see it live once more. That's just me, though.
Review of The Phantom of the Opera
