The cinematography on “Phantom” is abysmal. Virtually every set is overlit and miniscule, a bad enough crime in and of itself. John Mathieson, director of photography for the film, was nominated for an Oscar for his work, which is completely baffling. Even with the miserable performances from the two leads, this film’s biggest failings come from the technical aspects. Schumacher, in all his incompetence, cannot manage to consistently create compelling frames. Looking beyond the disappointing Butler and Rossum, the rest of the film just does not work.

Rossum just does not have a voice on the level of Sarah Brightman or Sierra Boggess, and while she can marginally carry a tune, she brings very little to it.īig Bads: With ‘Anonymous’ Robert Emmerich made new kind of disaster movie Roland Emmerich is best known for destroying landmarks in disaster movies like “Independence Day” and “Godzilla,” occasionally deciding to make Read… If you listen to “Think of Me,” Christine’s first real showcase, it falls massively flat in the movie.

Rossum was only 17-years-old when this film came out, and it shows. Though her voice is somewhat more aesthetically pleasing, her lack of training and confidence is painfully obvious. It sounds genuinely awful, especially when compared to people like Michael Crawford and Ramin Karimloo who lend their spectacular voices to the role. Whenever he lets his chest expand and try to sing at full power, it comes out as a guttural yell. There are too many problems with his singing to list, but the worst is his belting. Butler’s is worse at first - he’s really more screaming than singing.ĭuring “Music of the Night,” one of the Phantom’s signature numbers, he desecrates one of the most beautiful songs in recent Broadway memory. The issue most glaringly obvious to the layman is Butler and Rossum. This film is so amateurish, so unambitious, so spectacularly incompetent that it makes the “Rent” movie, which came out the year after, look like a masterpiece. Yes, the “Batman and Robin” Joel Schumacher.īig bads: ‘Batman & Robin’ leaves audiences feeling like they need a hero In 1997, infamous director Joel Schumacher almost ruined comic books for everyone with the abomination that was “Batman & Robin.” Read… Starring the wildly miscast Gerard Butler as the Phantom and Emmy Rossum as the object of his affection, Christine, this version of “Phantom” was directed by the infamous Joel Schumacher. But in 2004, the long-gestating film version was finally released, to the bile of fans everywhere.

Phantom of the opera movie 2004 cast