‘Les Misérables’ Review: A Starry, Lavishly Empty, French-Language Version of Victor Hugo’s Epic

Fred Cavayé's ambitious French-language cinematic adaptation of Victor Hugo's monumental 1862 novel, 'Les Misérables,' has been met with a critical assessment that highlights its considerable production values and star power, yet finds it ultimately lacking in emotional resonance. The film, spanning an extensive 179 minutes, reportedly boasts a substantial budget of $37 million, a figure indicative of a significant investment in bringing Hugo's sprawling narrative to the screen. This financial backing has evidently facilitated the assembly of a cast comprised of "Big French Stars," who are described as being placed in "starchily archetypal Big French Roles." This suggests a deliberate casting strategy that leans on the established personas of these actors, potentially at the expense of nuanced character development.

Notably, this adaptation diverges from some previous, more widely recognized versions of 'Les Misérables' by eschewing musical numbers. The original novel, a dense 1462-page "cinder-block classic," is renowned for its profound exploration of social injustice, poverty, redemption, and revolution in 19th-century France. However, the review posits that the absence of singing, while a departure from the popular musical theatre adaptation, does not usher in an era of "gritty realism." Instead, the film is characterized as being "lavishly empty," a paradox that underscores the critique of its superficiality despite its grand scale.

The review implies that the film prioritizes visual spectacle and the presence of its celebrated actors over a deeper engagement with the novel's complex themes and the emotional journeys of its characters, such as Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert. The substantial budget and the caliber of the cast are acknowledged as contributing to a visually impressive production, but these elements are ultimately deemed insufficient to compensate for what is perceived as a fundamental lack of emotional depth and narrative substance. The film's ambition to translate Hugo's epic scope to the cinematic medium appears to have resulted in a polished, perhaps even grand, but ultimately hollow experience that fails to capture the enduring power and profound humanity of its literary source material. The critique suggests a disconnect between the film's outward grandeur and its internal emotional core, leaving it feeling distant and overly stylized.