I have been dying to see this movie when I first saw the trailers and over the weekend I was finally able to. My love, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) was not dead, Mr. Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) was singing again like it was “High School Musical” and one of the greatest examples of black girl magic (Zendaya) was doing stunts in the air, I could never imagine being humanly possible.

For those who do not know by now, “The Greatest Showman” is a movie musical based on the life and career of PT Barnum who created the Barnum and Bailey Circus. The album is excellent (if you were wondering). Anyhow, the movie starts from when Barnum was young and poor with his father. He meets his future wife who comes from a wealthy family, from there they start a lovely romance while she is away at finishing school. During this time Barnum’s father dies, which leaves him an orphan.

Life is tough for him but he makes a small life for himself as he grows up. The two marry and have two girls. Barnum always dreamed big, doing better than his father had, and giving his family everything he possibly could. The loss of his job is the catalyst for opening the circus. He brings together outcasts, those who have been shunned away from society and deemed ugly. Barnum introduces the world to the unordinary, and lets them know that they are as human and as beautiful as the rest of the world is.

Now, with all the praises I have given this movie, no movie is perfect. First, the CGI animals looked like CGI animals. Like every circus we need lions and elephants and the movie delivered…sort of. The animals were so obviously fake that it was a bit jarring for me. I tried to look around at what else was happening, but seeing Hugh Jackman riding a CGI elephant made me burst out in laughter.

My second complaint is that the budding romance between Zac Efron and Zendaya’s characters is a bit underwhelming. It was sweet; the two cross their racial barriers and get together, which I was all for. But I felt that I needed to see a little more of them. I understand that their romance was the B plot but, I would’ve appreciated an extra small scene or two to show them getting closer or having a conversation to learn more about each other.

My final complaint is about the musical numbers. Like I said before, the music is amazing, and the musical numbers are great but “This is” period piece. With movies that are given such a clear sense of time, there has to be some consideration in how the music should sound, and dancing that would go along with it. Again the music is fabulous but a tad too modern.

All in all, I enjoyed “The Greatest Showman”. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me want to sing; all good things when I rate movies. I give “The Greatest Showman” seven CGI elephants out of ten CGI elephants.