A Critical Analysis of the movie adaptation of Victor Hugo's book

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Analysis, Pages 11 (2674 words)

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The revolutionary Les Mis?rables is a musical drama film directed by Tom Hooper, a movie adaptation of the famous book that was published on 1862 by Victor Hugo. He was born on February 26, 1802, in Besan?on, France and died on May 22, 1885, in Paris. Later in his life, Hugo published Les Mis?rables that took him 17 years in total to finish and it covers over 1,200 pages that earned him further success on his career even after several recognitions. Now, his book still is and will always be one of the prominent leading works of the 19th century literature.

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His particular work, Les Mis?rables shows the life of a man named Jan Valjean played by Hugh Jackman, who went through extreme hardships throughout his life. He met people along the way that made him change his ways and realize valuable things that the viewers can also reflect onto. Hence, the inspiration for the British-Australian movie and television director, Tom Hooper. He began making short-films at the young age of 13 and after graduating college, he shortly directed episodes of different famous British television shows, like EastEnders.

He then ventured out on huge television networks like BBC and even HBO in America. He made his feature film debut in 2004. He continued on with his career until he directed a film in 2010 entitled; The King's Speech that served as a gateway to his further success and his numerous nominations which also led him to win an Oscar. Two years later, he directed Les Mis?rables because he wanted to honor the fans of the novel and the theatre adaptation.

He wanted the movie to have the things that made the fans like the radical story in the first place. The movie was brilliantly made that it gained eight nominations for the Academy Awards.

In this film adaptation, Formalism approach is used as it addresses the film's way of showing the meaning of the story's message to the viewers through its dialogues, songs and scenes. The story comprises numerous and obvious themes that are all too interesting to not talk about. Yet, this one theme is what made me hooked in this movie as I usually think about it as a clich? in every film but I made an exception for this one because it portrays a love that chooses no people nor situation and that is the puissance of love that is powerful enough to reform one's vision about the world, the society or even one's life in general.

The story began with Jean Valjean serving 19 years of his imprisonment in a French prison. He was jailed all because he stole a loaf of bread to feed his nephew because they had nothing to eat at that time and his posterior trials of escaping from the said prison. Then this inspector named Javert came and told Valjean that if he could lift a heavy post from a boat, then he would be released but would also be starting his parole. He roamed around from town to town for days but nobody would dare to help him as his papers also known as documents today, shows that he is a former convict which made people fear and avoid him. Valjean later on, decided to take shelter on the convent's front door as he was cold from the winter night. Then Bishop Myriel saw him and offered him shelter for a while. The said bishop saved Valjean as he stole the silverware from the convent and was caught but Bishop Myriel covered up for him by saying that he gave it to the scared Valjean and later bid him to make good deeds out of it. Jean Valjean repented for his sins and realized that for the first time, someone showed kindness to him. He decided to change his name and eight years later, he eventually became mayor and ran a business that bought prosperity to the town he governs.

He hides under the name of Monsieur Madeline. On the same town, Fantine, a beautiful young woman who had an illegitimate child named Cosette, who lives with an Innkeeper with his family who abuse her, unknowing to Fantine. Fantine and the Th?nardiers had an agreement that they would only look out for the child if Fantine would send her monthly allowance. That's why Fantine works in Madeline's factory but she was fired because her coworkers found out about Cosette. With nowhere to go, she resorts to prostitution to still be able to send money to her child. One night, Javert was about to arrest her but Madeline intervenes and took Fantine to the hospital as she went ill. Madeline promised her that he would look for Cossette and take her under his wing. But, before that, he still has to answer to Javert who was suspecting Madeline about him being Jean Valjean. He confessed to the town's mayor about his false report and that they found a man who they accused to be Jean Valjean. Madeline, then, confessed to the jury as to who he is and went to Fantine who was on the verge of dying that night. Javert went after to arrest him but eager to fulfill his promise to Fantine, Jal Valjean escaped and sought for Cossette until her found her and bought her from the Th?nardiers.

Both Jean Valjean and Cossette found refuge in a convent where they lived for nine years. One day, a young lad, Marius Pontmercy who rebelled against his grandfather due to political differences. He lives as a poor law student who participated the French Revolution at that time alongside his friends. He met Cosette at their neighborhood, with her trailing alongside Jean Valjean, giving the poor some money. Their eyes met and it was love at first sight for the young individuals. Valjean decided to make a charitable visit to a family in the area but found out that it was the deceiving Th?nardiers. The poor family who moved out of their inn because they lost it and lived on the unfortunate neighborhood for quite some time. The Th?nardiers made quite a scene resulting to Javert interfering but Valjean managed to fled the scene before Javert could see him.

Maruis, being the lovestruck lad that he is, asked help from ?ponine, The Th?nardiers' daughter who is in love with Marius. The lad asked her a favor if she could find out where Cosette lives. She gave in and did what he asked of her. Later on, Cosette and Maruis finally met and declared their love for each other. ?ponine was heartbroken but as the night went on, she saw her father with a group of people preparing to rob the house where Jan Valjean lives. ?ponine screamed to alert the police and her father and his 'gang' instantly left. Valjean, alarmed by the scream, thought it was Javert who arrested someone nearby. He thought Javert probably knew where they were. Valjean instantly told the unwilling Cossette to pack because they were about to stay at their apartment a couple of miles away.

The revolution began on the way to General Lamarque's funeral. With Marius leading the group alongside Enjolras and unknowingly to them, ?ponine disguised herself as a man and joined their group. Javier planned to 'volunteer' to the young group's revolution to ambush them later in the night. Eventually, Javier's plan backfired because his cover was revealed by a child named Gavorche, the youngest of the group, who recognized him from before. The battle happened and they almost died if it wasn't for Marius who threatened the guards to blow up the barricade with them on it. But while Marius was threatening the guards, ?ponine saw another guard pointed the gun at Marius. So, she saved him. The guards backed down and it was a slip second for them to rest. Worrying, Marius ordered Gavorche to give Cossette a letter at their apartment in which he knew because of a letter from Cossette was kept by ?ponine from Marius and only gave it to him when she was about to die. Instead of Cossette, it was Jean Valjean who received it and read what the letter says. It was Marius' declaration his love once again to Cossette and how it is difficult for him to die knowing that Cossette is waiting for him. Scared and Determined, Valjean joined Marius' group of revolutionists to be able to protect Marius to save Cossette from heartbreak, even if it he had to scarify his life. There he saw Javert, tried up and battered. He let him go but to the group's understanding, he killed him. The second wave of the battle began with quadruple the amount of guards from before. The young group was slaughtered and they died with pride, except from Valjean who carried an unconscious and close to death Marius. He carried him through a sewer to be able to escape from the bloodbath that happened and bumped on to the former Innkeeper who Valjean harshly asked for directions. Him and Javert met once again to where the sewer ended and he agreed to go to prison but he has to bring Marius to the hospital because he was shot. Javert let him go for an unknown reason to Valjean. Javert later on jumped off of a bridge because he felt guilty on how a person who he treated badly over years, decided to help him from getting killed and is willing to pay his 'debt' after he (Valjean) helped the young lad.

Days later, Marius recovered and are planning his and Cossette's wedding. The day came and Valjean told Marius everything his life from the start and his reasons for leaving, he has to surrender his self to Javert. He made Marius promise to not tell Cossette anything about it but to let her know he went away to travel instead. During to the reception of the wedding, The Th?nardiers came and told Marius about Valjean carrying a dead body in the sewer and Marius realized it was the old man who saved him. Marius and Cossette hurriedly went to the convent where they knew Valjean would be there. The old man sat on a chair, infront of the alter, about to die. Upon his beloved Cossette's arrival, he bid the newlywed couple goodbye and there he saw Fantine and Bishop Myriel welcoming and waiting for him.

Love is often described in the movies as two people romantically loving each other, seldom delineated as a love for a sister, a parent or even a pet that makes you descry a thing or two about it. Ergo, it is stereotyped by people as just that. Love is many things; it is far greater than any other feeling there is. Stereotypical as it may sound, but it really is true. It is greater than we thought, powerful than we thought. This film, Les Mis?rables delivers what love is, how it can drastically modify a person's prospect or notion into something. In the film's case, just like how Bishop Myriel helped Jean Valjean even if he doesn't know him at all. He helped and cared for him when no one was willing to. He saved him from his condemnation even if no one asked him to. That act, at first glance, we may shrug it off as a kind act but if you look more into it, the Bishop helped Valjean because he loved him as a brother as God wished us to do. Due to that, Valjean was able to reflect onto it and decided to make a new future for him, to be able to repay and fulfill his promise to the Bishop by helping other people with no returns or rewards asked. He was able to redeem himself from completely drowning of antagonism from his hardships in life and in his anger to the people who did him wrong before, especially Javert. Like his situation with Fantine, even if she was a prostitute, Valjean still helped her. He showed her kindness no matter what her situation was. He treated her fairly and he even promised to find her daughter, Cossette. For Fantine, it was a love she never had for a while. Not a romantic kind of love though, it was more like a love in which you care for a person because they needed it, because they needed saving. Next is Cossette, even though she is not biologically related to Jean Valjean, she became his strength, the reason why he strives to live day by day. Cossette also loved him just how a daughter would love her father. Her love boldened and inspired him to further progress his life along the way. When Cossette was recently bought by Valjean when she was still a child, she sung the words 'Will you be like a papa to me?' it was a question that meant everything for Cossette as she knew she had no one at that time. Indeed, their love for each other, as a daughter and father, strengthened them both. When Marius came to the picture, Valjean was ready to sacrifice his life for him to save Cossette from heartbreak. Even though he barely knew Marius, he wanted to save him because he knows that Cossette loves Marius, for him, sacrificing his life in exchange to save the young Pontmercy, he didn't hesitate because as said, he loves Cossette dearly and would do anything for her well-being and happiness. As for ?ponine, the daughter of the Th?nardiers, she was obviously in love with Marius even if he doesn't feel the same way towards her. Despite that, it never stopped her from saving him from getting shot, in which she died a lionhearted death. But before all of that, her love for Marius changed her and reformed her way of living. Instead of living the way her parents do, which is constantly stealing and lying to people, she decided to live a beggared yet honest life, it was enough for her as long as she gets to see and be friends with Marius. Each kind of love are portrayed magnificently in every scene. Each of which are visible and obvious that the people who watches it can relate to it. This movie is different from the movies were accustomed to yet it sure does leave a mark in our minds with each and every lesson we take and reflect upon it. The structure of every scene is made gratefully yet there were few confusing lines but overall it gave the viewers satisfaction, especially on the last part where all the fallen characters were singing. Upon watching this movie, you get many take-aways. Life lessons, morals and realizations that sure does leave an impact on us.

Often stereotyped and cliched by many, Love is seen in a different perspective than what it really is. The film tells us how love works and how it redeems a person from a dark place. Love is beautiful and powerful at the same time. It leaves an impact to whoever receives it, regardless of race, gender and social status. Love makes you do things you never think of doing. Like saving someone or sacrificing yourself. It is a general feeling that everybody deserves to feel, no matter what situation they are in. Les Mis?rables portrays love just that and I appreciate it because not everybody gets to see or realize what love really is. In this world where wars still exist, where people bring down one another, love is what we need in saving and shaping one another. They say love is the most powerful feeling and it really is. As shown in the movie, nobody is unworthy of love. The movie, Les Mis?rables is an eye-opening film to everyone as it shows the different sides of love. Thus, love can also be our salvation and that's what the film wants us to see, alongside many things that we could reflect on to.