Is 'Beauty and the Beast' good or bad? What critics are saying about the Disney remake

It's a "tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme"; it's Beauty and the Beast — the remake. Yes, after months of teasing us with trailers, one Justin Bieber-looking Belle doll and an Ariana Grande and John Legend duet, the live-action version is here. 

We all know the tale of Beauty and the Beast, but for the new generation: The film is based on the 1991 Disney animated classic. In the live-action version, Watson stars as Belle and Dan Stevens plays the Beast, who holds her prisoner in his castle. After befriending the enchanted castle's staff, Belle falls for the Beast and the two begin their fairytale filled with magical show-stopping musical numbers.

Beauty and the Beast comes out Friday, March 17, and the reviews are starting to pour in. The movie currently has a 70% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes — as of Monday afternoon — with mostly positive praise. However, not everyone is a fan of Disney's retelling. Check out what the critics are saying below.

The good

The remake is earning some praise for being a faithful adaptation that does justice to the original. It's being called an "old-fashioned musical" with memorable musical numbers. 

Susan Wloszczyna, RogerEbert.com

This gloriously old-fashioned musical with gee-whiz trappings is a dazzling beauty to behold.

Cath Clarke, Time Out

Three cheers for director Bill Condon and star Emma Watson for having the courage to make a live-action adaptation with 2017 gender politics.

Jake Coyle, Associated Press

As the film nears its celebratory coda, a buoyant pluralism bursts forth.

Mara Reinstein, Us Weekly 

When Emma Watson walks down the staircase in that iconic yellow ball gown, it's as true (and goose bump-inducing) as it can be.

Kevin Lally, Film Journal International

Incredibly lavish, this new 'Beauty and the Beast' will surely delight a large international audience by delivering many of the moments fondly remembered from the original.

The bad

Some critics are just not feeling the remake, ripping on the casting choices and saying that the film fails to measure up to its Oscar-winning animated predecessor.

Dan Callahan, TheWrap

Feels largely perfunctory: where it flounders most is on the miscasting of several crucial roles.

Brian Viner, Daily Mail U.K. 

This 'Beauty And The Beast' is no match at all for the animated classic. And Miss Watson is a Belle who fails to chime.

Allison Willmore, BuzzFeed News

"Remake" isn't a strong enough word to describe the relationship between Disney's new live-action 'Beauty and the Beast' and the company's beloved 1991 animated movie.

Alan Scherstuhl, Village Voice

Condon and his team have alchemized gold into lead.

You can see for yourself how the new version of Beauty and the Beast stacks up against the original on Friday, March 17. Watch the trailer below.

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