P.T Barnum became orphaned at a young age, left all alone in the world and poor. But that never stopped him from being creative and full of imagination, or a desire to become something memorable in the world.

After marrying his childhood sweetheart and being a proud father of two daughters, Barnum (Hugh Jackson) loses his job and struggles once again to make ends meet. Barnum soon gets a creative spark and risks it all with the dream of becoming a Great Showman who presents the odd, the strange and the unique to the world.

In case you’re not aware, this film is a musical. Being a musical, this will generally scare away many moviegoers as the film promises some singing and dancing. But, I’m happy to admit that The Greatest Showman is far more than just another musical movie. This film had a great story and fantastic acting.

Hugh Jackman (no surprise) is solid as the leading character, once again giving audience members chills and watery eyes from his performance alone. From the opening act, it didn’t take long for his character to become someone rather fun and likeable. Other acting performances from both Michelle Williams and Zac Efron were also well cast and provided outstanding supportive roles. Going into this movie, I never thought I would come out saying that one of my favourite musical numbers would be a number between Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron.

Another point of praise is the film’s pacing. Let it be known on social media that I am not a significant fan of musical films (more so when they are very sad musicals), but this is a musical film that is fast pace and well-timed. Even during the Musical numbers, I never felt bored with the musical scene, nor did I ever roll my eyes and think ‘oh man not another damn song’. Each song tells a story, and that story moves quickly, full of excitement and without feeling dull or uninteresting. All the musical tracks of this movie are new and have many creative elements to them. Combining this with the film’s incredible story, you have a film that can be enjoyed by all ages. I enjoyed the film’s positive message, and I would easily recommend this film to be viewed by many.

It should have come as no surprise that this film’s success has come heavily from another outstanding performance from Hugh Jackman. There is so much praise to be given to the many other cast members such as actress Michelle Williams. I also feel this was an excellent choice for the actor, Zac Efron, as he took a break from doing crude comedy films. Even if you’re not a fan of musical films (like me), this is a film that really shouldn’t be missed. There is more to enjoy than just musical numbers here- this is a film that carries outstanding cinema elements and will leave you joyful.

8.8/10

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Review Written by Peter Walkden