I've not heard a bad review of this film from anyone - from random people on TV, to my family and closest friends. I no longer trust any of them. I'm not being a 'blokey' bloke here either, and I have enjoyed many previous musicals, but The Greatest Showman is just not the one. It's a Disney movie without the brilliance of the animators.

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Costumes; choreography; special effects; Jackman, Efron, and Settle - great. Well done. However, given the budget of a film of this calibre, I wouldn't expect anything less.

However major, major things you require from a musical are conspicuous in their absence; namely original plot, and the *actual songs* themselves.

It is a story regurgitated a thousand times, which I actually have less issue with than the songs. The awful, radio-ready, completely forgettable pop melodies and vocals are just honestly not 'musical'. I am not exactly what you would call a musical aficionado, but even I know that the songs don't feel like 'musical' songs. I would love to hear someone who has a finer ear than I pinpoint what exactly a 'musical' song is, but it's certainly *not* what is on show in this film.

Halfway through I really wondered who exactly this film was for. User reviews here seem to be mostly from actual funtioning adults, but surely a film such as this is limited to the intellect and experience of a 15-year-old? I am in no way a snob and I can appreciate a overly-silly comedy, or an overly-schmoozy rom-com, but this is genuinely perplexing as it appears to entertain actual adult people!?!

In short, just don't bother, even if you have the time and money. Boring waste of my life.