Now, before you poop all over my opinion, just hear me out, it’s COMPLETELY OKAY if you like this film. There are certainly things to like about it, and there are definitely good aspects of the film which make it appeal to certain types of audiences. I’m not saying you’re crazy if you like this film, or that nobody should like this film, this is all my own opinion.

Now, let’s get into it.

“The Greatest Showman” is the directorial debut for Michal Gracey, and stars Hugh Jackman as PT Barnum, a self-proclaimed showman who creates his own “circus” consisting of people with unique talents or features. The film also stars Zac Efron as Phillip Carlyle, Barnum’s business partner, as well as Zendaya, Michelle Williams, and Rebecca Ferguson in relatively minor roles.

Hugh Jackman as PT Barnum

Before I get into the things I didn’t like about this film, I want to address the various things that the film did right, because there were definitely some moments throughout the film that were good.

The music is done pretty well, with a few of these songs being obvious headliners for the soundtrack. Tunes such as “This Is Me,” “The Greatest Show” and “Rewrite The Stars” are definitely the three songs that carry the whole soundtrack of the film, while the rest seem to be mostly filler, but not bad filler at all.

Hugh Jackman also once again does a great job with what he has to work with. I wouldn’t say that this is one of his greatest performances, but Hugh Jackman is such a great actor that there are always going to be some nice moments from him, no matter what film he’s featured in. I enjoyed his role as Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables” much more than I did this one, but it’s not a bad performance by any means.

I’m also very willing to appreciate the sheer grandiose of the film. I like the fact that it sees itself as one big production, where they actually choreograph and perform like it’s an actual musical one would watch in the theater. If only the film could have had a bigger budget, I feel the Showman’s spectacle could have been a lot bigger.

Now, after talking about the things I enjoyed, let’s get into some of the things I didn’t enjoy…

SPOILERS AHEAD

One part of the film that I absolutely dreaded was the little introduction with the director, Michael Gracey, and the star, Hugh Jackman, thanking the audience for viewing the film in the medium it was meant to be viewed in, the theater. To me, unless the film is a big franchise, I feel this immediately takes you out of the world you’re expecting to enter.

One of the reasons I love film so much is because it transports me to another world, and adding in that little introduction just felt awkward and out of place. It reminds me of the terrible introductory paragraphs that are in your typical high school essays that say “This essay will outline the reasons why…” and so on.

Another problem I had with this movie is that the writing seemed really rushed and didn’t make much sense when you sit back and think about how the relationships between characters within the film progress. For instance, Zac Efron’s character sees Zendaya’s character for a total of about 30 seconds, but then the next time we see them together, there’s this romantic tension between the two that the audience is instantly expected to care about.

I didn’t live in the 1800s, but I thought that people actually got to know each other before realizing there was a love connection. If the audience is supposed to care about a romantic arc, write it so that the audience can actually believe said connection.

Another relationship that is somewhat puzzling is PT Barnum’s bond with the circus performers. After Barnum effectively sells out to Jenny Lind, completely shunning the circus performers, the various performers bust out into song singing “This Is Me,” showing Barnum that they are who they are, and won’t be silenced. The most perplexing thing, however, is how, after Barnum’s falling out with Lind, the performers instantly welcome him back with open arms, with Barnum facing no consequences for his actions.

I understand they’re trying to make a two-hour movie, but the way in which this sequence was written just really puzzles me. If you’re trying to make a movie about acceptance, don’t go back on your message and effectively show that there are no consequences for being unaccepting.

One aspect I particularly have problems with is the “theater critic who doesn’t enjoy the theater” character archetype. For me, I feel like this was an attempt to give Barnum and the circus more of an underdog look, but I just felt the whole character was unneeded. Without this character, the movie doesn’t change at all, which is only the barest, most blatant sign of a completely pointless character.

I also feel that the inclusion of a theater critic as a minor antagonist displays a message that it’s not okay to be critical of things as long as they’re good-hearted, such as Barnum’s circus.One aspect of the human condition that makes life so enjoyable is our uniqueness and differing of taste, so I particularly disagree with the inclusion of an antagonist theater critic that is shamed for an honest differing of opinion. This also, once again, goes completely against the film’s main message of acceptance.

Now, with all that being said, I completely understand why people enjoy and defend this movie. There’s a nice, feel-good message, good visuals, and good music, and, for a lot of people, that’s all they need to be satisfied. Guess what? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

All I'm saying is that I just wanted more coherence from this film, especially from the writing.

IS IT WORTH IT?

While "The Greatest Showman" certainly swings for the fences (and hits occasionally,) sloppy writing and awkward characters/sequences ultimately doom the Michael Gracey musical.

FINAL SCORE: 5.2/10, Not Worth It