The
PHANTOM
of the
OPERA

2004 ***1/2 141 mins.

Although this film is well made technically, the casting and the directing are not what they need to be to do a screen adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic musical. I have seen the London production of the play, and it is extraordinary. To make a film out of that, it must be a lot better than this. I do love the ending of this film; it goes a bit further than where the play ends. I also love the many little touches throughout the film that to pay tribute to the original play. However Gerard Butler does not have what it takes, singing-wise, to be the Phantom. Emmy Rossum does a fine job as Christine, though. Let's face it, Joel Schumacher isn't exactly a great director, and should not have been the director to take on such a project as this one. For those of you who have not seen the play, this is still a fine screen version. It just could have been a lot better.
Rated PG-13 for brief violent images.