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Inspired by the imagination of P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.
Critic Consensus
Critical reception for The Greatest Showman is mixed, with opinions ranging from enthusiastic to dismissive. The film's musical numbers — particularly 'This Is Me' — and Hugh Jackman's performance are most frequently cited as its strengths, with several critics highlighting the spectacle and entertainment value. Detractors, however, find the film emotionally shallow and narratively hollow, arguing that its relentless pizazz comes at the expense of genuine storytelling and depth. A recurring concern is that the film prioritizes feel-good spectacle over substance, leaving little of lasting meaning beneath the surface.
10 reviews · 5 positive · 3 mixed
AI-generated summary of 10 critic reviews · may contain errors
Report inaccuracyCritic Reviews (10)
"Some movies are more than couple of hours spent in a cinema hall; The Greatest Showman grants you leave with a smile but its metaphysical approach to life will linger in your soul for long time. Hugh Jackman living P.T. Barnum is worth every single penny & I'm ready to go bankrupt over watching him as many times as I can."Read full review ↗
"The story is interesting and the performances are fantastic, but it's the musical numbers that make 'The Greatest Showman' stunning."Read full review ↗
"Beautiful to behold and possessing a soul to match The Greatest Show reveals the unexpected musical side to Hugh Jackman's talent. Who would have thought he had it in him?! The musical format brings out the best in all the actors in this gem of a movie. Innovative, colourful and clogged with that quality which Barnum invented—showmanship—this big-screen experience is just the way to end the year."Read full review ↗
"Overall, The Greatest Showman, is remarkably rousing and entertaining."Read full review ↗
"Overall, "The Greatest Showman", is remarkably rousing and entertaining."Read full review ↗
"Where this film, with some talented star wattage, completely flops is in living up to any of its exalted claims. Of showmanship, of storytelling, of being glorious, or of even "a million dreams"."Read full review ↗
"Thankfully, a couple of barnstorming melodies — chief among them, 'This is me', performed with great gusto by the Oddities troupe — do raise the roof. Otherwise, for a biopic that purports to celebrate humanity in all its diversity, The Greatest Showman is surprisingly flat."Read full review ↗
"There is a chance the film will have a better shelf life on streaming platforms because of its crowd pleasing musical elements, maybe it would be better to wait it out rather than catch it in theaters where one can't push the forward button during the dull dull bits."Read full review ↗
"If there's an eleven-o'clock number, it's got to be This Is Me, ably sung by Broadway belter Keala Settle, a motivational anthem that seems meant to stop the show but sounds too familiar to really stir the spirits. "I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out," the bearded lady sings, and alas, it's an apt description of what this movie seems to be doing: Drowning us in pizazz and feel-good emotion, but not making us think, or learn. In the end, not much is happening under that circus tent."Read full review ↗
"Barnum's words to a renowned Opera singer (played by Ferguson) hold true for the film as well. You may go watch this film to witness the thrill of a circus spectacle but what you also get is something real."Read full review ↗
Cast & Crew
Cast
- Hugh Jackman · P. T. Barnum
- Zac Efron · Phillip Carlyle
- Michelle Williams · Charity Barnum
- Rebecca Ferguson · Jenny Lind
- Zendaya · Anne Wheeler
- Keala Settle
- Sam Humphrey
- Austyn Johnson
- Cameron Seely
Director
Screenplay
Details
- Release Date
- 29 December 2017
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Language
- English
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