By Ranny Levy, President/Founder of Kids First!
Beautiful Creatures is a refreshing twist of the age old tale of young love, sacrifice and the battle between good and evil. When Ethan Wate, played by Alden Ehrenreich, meets a mysterious girl named Lena, he immediately falls for her. But Lena and her family have a secret. They are all Casters and when Lena turns 16 her powers will be claimed for the light or the dark. Will Lena be strong enough to change her fate, and will Ethan be strong enough to deal with what happens if she goes dark?
This PG-13 rated film, based on the book by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia (2009) stars Academy Award Nominee Viola Davis alongside Academy Award Winner Jeremy Irons, Emmy Rossum, Alice Englert and Alden Ehrenreich. Whether or not it is destined to take over the void left by the Twilight Saga is yet to be seen but, rest assured, it’s sure to resonate with your teen and tween grand daughters for the young romance it brings to the screen.
Here’s a review by our 15-year-old critic, Raven Devanney:
Reviewed by Raven Devanney, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15.I absolutely love Beautiful Creatures. It is so aesthetically pleasing and the sets and costume design are beautiful. This is a far better film than I expected. It isn’t just another teen romance. I believe it has something for everyone. There is quite a bit of humor in this film that is an unexpected bonus, as well as political and religious quips that I found quite entertaining. One thing that really makes this film stand out from the rest is that the main characters aren’t visually perfect. They don’t look like cut -outs from magazines. I found it extremely pleasing to see that there is more than looks to film stars. I love all the emotion in this film, it is definitely a tear jerker and it pulled at my heartstrings. I love that the acting in this movie. It really made me feel something beyond pure entertainment.
I really enjoyed the relationship between Lena and Ethan because it feels very real and natural. My favorite character is Link, played by Thomas Mann, is by far the funniest character. He is Ethan’s right hand man and is always cracking clever remarks and causing laughable moments. I love Thomas Mann from other films such as “Hansel and Gretel,” “Project X,” “Fun Sized” and other films, so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw him in this. He has a way of making an audience laugh at awkward moments which is perfect for this movie.
My favorite scene is when Ridley Duchannes comes to town. She is Lena’s cousin who has become a dark Caster and is trying to assist her aunt in making sure Lena goes dark and she is quite the character. She pretty much does whatever she wants, whenever she wants and she brings an edgy quality to the quiet town where this movie takes place.
I recommend Beautiful Creature for ages 13 and up. It is a bit mature for younger audiences but it is perfect for teens and adults. It will make you laugh, cry and want to fall in love. I give Beautiful Creatures 5 out of 5 stars so go check it out today!
Video Review available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjtY5FgXEV8
Ranny Levy – Founder and President
KIDS FIRST! / Coalition for Quality Children’s Media http://www.kidsfirst.org Supporting Quality Media for Children Since 1991
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