Beastly

I’m a huge fan of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. That being said, I had some hope for Beastly, an updated version of the tale.  What I got instead was a strange, superficial and obnoxious story of two kids falling in love in high school.

Kyle is the most popular boy in school. His obsession with looks lands him in trouble when he plays a joke on local teen witch, Kendra. Cursed with a completely different and self-described hideous new face, he must find someone to love him for his inner qualities within a year or remain “a beast” forever. Enter the overlooked-yet-interesting girl, Lindy.

Let’s start off with the fact that Beastly tells this story completely wrong. In the beginning there’s a hint that Kyle actually already likes Lindy and vice versa. So tell me why it would be difficult to think that Lindy would love Kyle or the altered version of him? Basically, it was a complete joke.

Furthermore, the message wasn’t right. Kyle really doesn’t learn his lesson and Lindy gets to be with the popular guy. Neither one of them have to make sacrifices or are tested in any way. Kyle’s transformation isn’t even that horrifying. He gets some tattoos on his face and a couple scars; a lot of girls like the bad boy look.

Beastly ultimately misuses its resources. Neil Patrick Harris isn’t able to act to his full potential, and Alex Pettyfer and Vannessa Hudgens are cast for their appearances, not their talent. The story lacks any substance or emotion and it’s a shame they deviated so much from the source material.

Please don’t waste your time with this very poor rendition of a classic fairy tale. Instead watch the Disney version if you’re itching to see true love find a happy ending. Beastly gives you neither.