19th century France, after breaking parole Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is continuously hunted by policeman Javert (Russell Crowe) and when he meets Fantine (Anne Hathaway) Valjean agrees to find and care for her daughter.
Based on Victor Hugo's novel, starring an all star A list cast and with promising praise from all over the world, I sat in a packed cinema to watch a film I knew absolutely nothing about, and like so many others, I was blown away.
Opening with a bald Hugh Jackman struggling in his slavery and bursting into song, the scene for the time is set and the music is not dubbed. The live music crashing against the waves under the watchful eye of an obsessive Javert, the film is bound straight into passionate excitement.
This is a wonderful story full of passion. There is slavery, poorness, love struck teenagers, scheming warriors, religious power, law and freedom, Les Miserables is an overwhelming mix of strong beliefs, portrayed with vigour by its collection of splendid actors.
Hathaway is the standout with her rendition of "I dreamed a dream". Filmed in one shot this is the moment you will remember when you finish watching. A scene, uncut, sang live with Fantine in a deep emotional conflict in her life, struggling for money and worrying about her daughter this is heart wrenching and perfect acting from the Devil wears Prada star.
My friends who have seen the musical have said as well as Jackman and Crowe were here, there voices pale compared to the actors they have heard in other renditions. Personally I believe their performances and acting said more about their characters than their singing, which made the film fit together nicely.
At two and a half hours long, this is a very long film with scenes that are stretched. However these are often necessary for later scenes so we as the audience can be fully engrossed and appreciative of the environment and character dilemmas.
Samantha Barks as Eponie is the surprise stand out. Her confession of love is fantastic, her solo filmed in pouring rain in an isolated street will knock you off your feet.
Sweeney Todd co stars Helena Bonham-Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen are injected into the story to provide some wonderful humour, which in such a heavy drama was quite a nice surprise as there was many laughs all around the cinema.
The story, packed with such heavy ideas is very dramatic, conveyed through endless wonderful songs. And as a story this works out very well being powerfully engaging but a very unique piece of artistic cinema as well.
Director Tom Hooper combines wonderful French scenery and poverty into the story with feelings of isolated close ups and sweeping heart stopping battle sequences.
Having gone into the cinema without any idea what all the fuss was about, myself and friends came out singing and praising a wonderful artistic piece of cinema, and hopefully you won't miss out!
Based on Victor Hugo's novel, starring an all star A list cast and with promising praise from all over the world, I sat in a packed cinema to watch a film I knew absolutely nothing about, and like so many others, I was blown away.
Opening with a bald Hugh Jackman struggling in his slavery and bursting into song, the scene for the time is set and the music is not dubbed. The live music crashing against the waves under the watchful eye of an obsessive Javert, the film is bound straight into passionate excitement.
This is a wonderful story full of passion. There is slavery, poorness, love struck teenagers, scheming warriors, religious power, law and freedom, Les Miserables is an overwhelming mix of strong beliefs, portrayed with vigour by its collection of splendid actors.
Hathaway is the standout with her rendition of "I dreamed a dream". Filmed in one shot this is the moment you will remember when you finish watching. A scene, uncut, sang live with Fantine in a deep emotional conflict in her life, struggling for money and worrying about her daughter this is heart wrenching and perfect acting from the Devil wears Prada star.
My friends who have seen the musical have said as well as Jackman and Crowe were here, there voices pale compared to the actors they have heard in other renditions. Personally I believe their performances and acting said more about their characters than their singing, which made the film fit together nicely.
At two and a half hours long, this is a very long film with scenes that are stretched. However these are often necessary for later scenes so we as the audience can be fully engrossed and appreciative of the environment and character dilemmas.
Samantha Barks as Eponie is the surprise stand out. Her confession of love is fantastic, her solo filmed in pouring rain in an isolated street will knock you off your feet.
Sweeney Todd co stars Helena Bonham-Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen are injected into the story to provide some wonderful humour, which in such a heavy drama was quite a nice surprise as there was many laughs all around the cinema.
The story, packed with such heavy ideas is very dramatic, conveyed through endless wonderful songs. And as a story this works out very well being powerfully engaging but a very unique piece of artistic cinema as well.
Director Tom Hooper combines wonderful French scenery and poverty into the story with feelings of isolated close ups and sweeping heart stopping battle sequences.
Having gone into the cinema without any idea what all the fuss was about, myself and friends came out singing and praising a wonderful artistic piece of cinema, and hopefully you won't miss out!