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Movie Review: The Greatest Showman

The Greatest Showman is one of the greatest movie musicals in the past several years, because the singing and choreography keep the audience entranced and gives the movie an old-school musical vibe.

Starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, and Zendaya, the movie is a musical film about P.T Barnum, a poverty-stricken man who has a wide imagination and hosts a show with unordinary people. Barnum becomes successful, but in the end, he experiences conflict and learns that he doesn’t need everyone to love him.  

Despite how great the movie is, it has problems like every film. The biggest problem with the The Greatest Showman is its plot. One critic says that the movie presents P.T. Barnum as someone who thinks he is a virtuoso and believes he can do anything; however, he doesn’t succeed until he creates a show.

The plot was very predictable following the common rags-to-riches-to-rags storyline. After everything was falling into place for Barnum, it seemed that  everything would go downhill, which it does almost immediately. Barnum’s wife sees a photograph of a female opera singer kissing Barnum, which causes his wife to leave him. After that, people who are prejudice against the people in Barnum’s “freak show” riot and set Barnum’s building on fire.  

The plot was very predictable following the common rags-to-riches-to-rags storyline.

Although the plot was predictable, the singing and choreography saved the movie because the songs were inspirational and the dance moves were amazing.  The choreography is exciting because there are different dance moves happening at the same time incorporating circus performers.  In one song, two people are doing the trapeze while another person is on stilts.

The songs were meaningful; “This Is Me” by Keala Settle is one of the best songs, because it tells people that they can be themselves. Despite the judgment from the world, it’s fine to be unique.

If people don’t like musicals, they might not want to watch this movie.  I watched this movie with my friends, and they started to cringe whenever a song began because they thought the actors sang excessively and randomly.  My friends also disliked “A Million Dreams” by Ziv Zaifman, Hugh Jackman, and Michelle Williams because it was the only song sung with a child and they thought that was strange.

Even if you don’t like musicals, you should give this movie a chance because of its thoughtful moral and inspirational message. The movie teaches people that they can achieve anything as long as they work hard.  

The song “The Other Side” by Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron is a great example of this. The song tells people that they should leave their comfort zone and go to the “other side” where they can experience happiness instead of misery.

If people feel like they’re constrained in the dark, want to be loved by everyone, or scared to be themselves, I recommend this movie because can change people’s perspectives on the way they look at the world and themselves.

The Greatest Showman will inspire others to come into the light and not to be frightened by the judgment from society. The movie is a family film that everyone can benefit from watching.

Jennah Diana Laxamana

Jennah Diana Laxamana

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