Phantom of the Opera (2004), Joel Schumacher

Don't think I'll ever be able to watch this movie, front to back, but must admit that there are a couple of parts I like to listen to as an alternative to the Brightman versions.


Gerard Butler (especially now) seems incredibly out of place here: he's stiff and he can't really sing, like, at all. Emily Rossum's illimitable sad face gets to be a bit much, especially when it stands in the way of actual emotion or audio/visual syncing. Surely the sound folks are to blame, there. Regardless, she's not much for putting herself into a role, physically, and any real life singer is likely to want to smack the lack of visible, on screen breathing right off her melancholy
little face.

The surprise here, especially if you're unfamiliar w/ his theater work, is Patrick Wilson's portrayal of Raoul. Not too hammy. Pretty good singer. Not even immediately recognizable as himself. Broadway roots frequently show through his blond mop. It's not too hard to believe him.


Lavish set designs, leaning toward Liberache gaudy at times, hark back to Schumacher's more comic book inspired films.

No recommend, here, unless you fagged out to the soundtrack in high school and want to relive your more hermaphroditic days belting out the title song.

I promise, I'll actually finish the next movie.