The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
Directed by: Joel Schumacher
Premise: An adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s stage musical. A murderous musical genius lives beneath a Paris opera house and machinates the career of an up-and-coming opera singer (Emmy Rossum).
What Works: Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera was adapted into a stage musical that debuted in 1986. The show was a sensation. It is the longest running show in Broadway history and one of the most financially successful entertainment events ever. After a series of film adaptations that modernized the material, the Phantom of the Opera stage musical returned to the time and setting of Gaston Leroux’s novel and the story was consistent with the earlier films produced by Universal and Hammer. The Phantom of the Opera musical was brought to movie screens in 2004 in a film that was produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The film plays to the musical’s legions of fans and viewers who were looking for a safe, literal translation of the stage show will generally find it here. The best part of 2004’s The Phantom of the Opera is its production design. The costumes and sets are detailed and create a world that is credible but with a slightly heightened reality.
What Doesn’t: 2004’s The Phantom of the Opera was directed by Joel Schumacher who ought to have been a natural fit given that his filmography included stylized productions such as The Lost Boys, 1990’s Flatliners, and Batman Forever. But Schumacher’s style is restrained here. The film is lit in a way that allows us to see everything. There is little sense of mystery or atmosphere. The filmmaking lacks musicality. The songs are disconnected from the camerawork, the editing, and the action. The spoken dialogue doesn’t always translate well from the stage to the screen, sometimes sounding awkward and expository. The performances vary. Minnie Driver plays Carlottoa and Driver is very funny but her performance belongs in a different movie. Emmy Rossum is cast as Christine and she is a good vocalist but Rossum looks a bit lost when she isn’t singing. Gerard Butler plays the Phantom and he is sometimes menacing but Butler struggles through the musical numbers. The Phantom’s disfigurement makeup is really disappointing. It looks like nothing, certainly not enough to make this man a social outcast. Like many versions of The Phantom of the Opera, this story is a love triangle but the romance lacks passion or heartache. There is no spark between the Phantom and Christine. That is the movie’s key problem. It looks expensive but the movie is emotionally hollow.
Disc extras: Documentaries, featurettes, a deleted scene, and a trailer.
Bottom Line: 2004’s The Phantom of the Opera is a bland and clunky production. It may appeal to conservative fans of the stage show but the movie is too bound to its Broadway origins. It’s boring and the movie lacks style and emotional impact.
Episode: #1069 (October 19, 2025)