If you love original animated films or remakes in general, then “Beauty and the Beast” is a must-see for 2017. This remake of the animated Disney classic was released in theaters on March 17.

“I thought it was really good,” junior Alexis Chemnitz said. “I think they’ve got everything right from the original in 1991.”

Like the original animated film, the remake tells the story of a bookworm named Belle (played by Emma Watson), who dreams of adventure and leaving her small village in France. One day, her father, Maurice, gets lost on a trip to the market and ends up imprisoned by a prince, who has been turned into a beast due to his selfishness and cruelty. The prince, played by Dan Stevens, can only break the spell by falling in love with someone and having them love him in return.

“Gaston did not have as much humor like he did in the animated [movie],” senior Ireland Cobb, who enjoyed the acting, said. “He’s more serious in the remake, while he’s more funny in the animated version.”

Unlike other live-action remakes of classic animated Disney films, “Beauty and the Beast” is not as bad as I expected. One of the things that made it better were the strong visuals from beginning to end. However, the CGI effects with the Beast could have been better.

“I always loved the original. But, I think I prefer the remake,” sophomore Hannah Grim said. “I think the CGI made it more spectacular and helped portray the fantasy world.”

This remake made many references to the animated film, including songs and scenes from the original. The characters also had intriguing personalities, especially the Beast. His character and backstory is developed throughout the film, and the audience learns how he became selfish and was cursed.

“I thought it was amazing,” junior Ashley Pauls said. “The characters were phenomenal, the special effects were incredible, the sets and costumes were amazing.”

All in all, despite its flaws, Disney did a pretty good job with remaking “Beauty and the Beast.” Like most remakes, the original film is still, by far, more superior than the remake due to the more spectacular visuals, characters, songs, and storytelling. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s a bad film, and I would recommend it to any Disney or musical fans out there. I rate it a 7.5/10.