After more than a decade of delays, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera finally hit the big screen in 2004. Directed by Joel Schumacher, it's generally considered a disappointment, which perhaps should not be surprising given the fact that Schumacher directed two of the worst Batman movies of all time. Yet it was on the strength of Lost Boys, a decent film, that Lloyd Webber originally hired Schumacher and, while certainly a flawed, inferior work, Schumacher's Phantom isn't all bad.
Gerard Butler in the role of Phantom is certainly miscast. He's charismatic and his muscular frame is attractive. I can even believe the Phantom would strive to keep himself in peak physical condition. However, Butler's singing voice lacks skill and sensitivity, which is, I think, the main reason that Raoul (Patrick Wilson) actually comes off as more appealing in the film.
Emmy Rossum can sing, though notably not as well as Sarah Brightman, but she lets her beauty do a lot of the work in her performance. I do appreciate her beauty but, having seen the role performed by actresses who were both beautiful and capable of emotional complexity, she is also somewhat of a disappointment.
Minnie Driver stands out as Carlotta because she's Minnie Driver and seems odd in the role. Maybe more perplexing is Ciaran Hinds in the role of one of the theatre managers--Hinds can't sing at all.
However, Miranda Richardson is fine in the role of Madame Giry and Jennifer Ellison is cute as Meg. I also liked the production design which keeps the wonderfully lewd opera house statuary.
If this musical is ever adapted again, I would urge a director to consider how much heavy lifting the music does and refrain from too many close-ups. Also, the Phantom ought to look worse than someone having an allergic reaction to a bee sting when his mask's removed.
The Phantom of the Opera (2004) is available on Netflix in Japan.
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