Les Miserables Review

Why this musical masterpiece is our first Film Of The Year 2013 contender...
It's safe to say that when it comes to the realm of 'musical cinema', this new and budding genre has had a mixture of hit-and-miss instalments these past few years, with recent box office hits like High School Musical and Mamma Mia packing a great deal of zest and scale, yet too frequently coming up short in the narrative and direction departments. Enter Les Miserables, a beautiful masterpiece of film that once again re-enforces the sheer mastery of the directorial art that The King's Speech Tom Hooper employs in each and every instalment he produces.

Right from the get-go, it becomes clear that Hooper's latest work will be a genuine marvel to behold, packing an incredible level of scale and detail that debatably Victor Hugo's original 19th Century novel and indeed its West End offspring could never muster beyond the minds and imagination of their audience. Hooper blends the awe and majesty of melodic sequences such as Look Down and Can You Hear The People Sing with the intimate and subtle nature of more subdued numbers, I Dreamed A Dream, One Day More and On My Own particular highlights in this regard, as if it were the stuff of child's play. Each and every shot of a worthily directed production should contribute in some manner to the product's success, and this is undoubtedly the case in Les Miserables- in the space of two hours and three-quarters, this acclaimed visionary of visual storytelling brings new depth and meaning to this iconic tale in ways that we could never have thought possible.

Were it just the direction of this stunning flick that impressed, though, Les Mis would find itself ranking far lower in the proceedings of 2013's film roster, ultimately falling into the same mediocre regions as overlooked movies like Prometheus and Taken 2 did last year. Fans of either the original novelised classic or its theatre adaptation will of course already be in little uncertainty as to the sheer intelligence and masterful spectacle of the tale that awaits them on the big screen, yet they'll find themselves as encapsulated by this new take on the lives of Fontaine, Jean, Cosette, Eponine, Marys and the countless other unforgettable character constructs they meet along the way. It has been a long time since I've seen a team of filmmakers successfully draw together the strands of an adapted narrative in such a perfect manner as the men and women behind Les Mis have, a rare attribute of greatness that only furthers the sense of filmic mastery constantly on display here.

In no small part too, are the cast themselves responsible for the incredible precedent of quality set right here. Hugh Jackman's countless award nominations for 'Best Actor' are by no means misplaced, since with his portrayal of Jean we see a flawed yet selfless man strive to be better, to be honest, to take the deal of fate that life has given him and become stronger as a result of accepting his load. Quite frankly, though, to stop them in terms of highlighting outstanding performances would be to do disjustice to the rest of the ensemble. Amanda Seyfried, Samantha Barks, Eddie Redmayne, Russell Crowe, so many other stars and of course Anne Hathaway give undeniable career-defining portrayals here, leaving the viewer in no uncertainty as to the majesty and quality of the entire production. We musn't forget Helena Bonham-Carter or indeed Sacha Baron-Cohen, either, who provide stunning and hilarious comic relief without detracting in any sense from the core emotional turmoil that the narrative puts its players and audience through.

Yes, make no mistake, Les Miserables is a rollercoaster in terms of the viewer's emotions, and I'm willing to bet that just about any member of the audience will leave the auditorium after the blazing finale with more than one tear in their eye. Heck, another film-goer sitting in the aisle adjacent to my own was in floods of tears come the credits, and I myself was struggling to hold back the waterworks moreso than ever before in any other entertainment release, which is saying something. For a movie to leave me in such elevation upon its climax, such a burning desire to undergo the whole experience for the first time again just to relive the sheer awe and shock of the first viewing, speaks wonders for the dedication its makers have shown in bringing it to the big screen. I cannot praise Les Miserables enough for its visionary direction, its masterfully-crafted narrative and its perfect (yep, I said it) cast, all of which combine together in a seamless and incredible fashion to provide us with one of the best films I have had the pleasure of seeing in a long, long time. Film Of The Year 2013 contenders? Do your worst- because judging by this genre-defining effort, the year's winner could already have been discovered just eleven days in...
5/5