--- title: "The Phantom of the Opera: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-phantom-of-the-opera/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-phantom-of-the-opera" critics_score: 51 critics_reviews: 14 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Phantom of the Opera (2004): what the critics said Critics' score 51 from 14 reviews: 2 positive, 6 mixed, 6 negative. The reviews lean towards disappointment with Joel Schumacher’s adaptation, though even several sceptical critics find things to admire in its lavish staging. Praise clusters around the sets, costumes, orchestral sound and scale of the production, with Emmy Rossum’s singing and Minnie Driver’s supporting turn earning particular approval. The more receptive reviews enjoy the musical’s volume and extravagance, while others acknowledge the technical effort without finding much dramatic life beneath it. The sharpest disagreements concern whether that extravagance works on screen and whether the leads can carry it. Variety regards the adaptation as a cinematic success; harsher reviews find the decoration suffocating and the music repetitive. Gerard Butler is especially divisive: Time Out criticises both his charisma and his singing, while Collider praises his acting despite reservations about the casting. Across the mixed and negative reviews, weak emotional involvement is a recurring complaint, alongside spectacle that overwhelms the Gothic story. ## Evening Standard — Steve Morrissey Fi1m's normalised score 79/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. The critic enjoyed the film adaptation of Lloyd Webber's musical, noting it is bombastic and loud with sumptuous production design, and praising the singing and physical presence of the leads Emma Rossum and Gerard Butler as well as supporting turns like Minnie Driver. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/a-chorus-of-approval-7383269.html) ## Variety — Derek Elley Fi1m's normalised score 78/100 (inferred from the text). 9 December 2004. The critic praises the sumptuous adaptation as a cinematic success that evokes the stage show while working as a film, highlighted by Emmy Rossum's radiant, vocally lustrous performance and widescreen sweep without excessive flashiness. They note the music is the thing and the combo of director and producer works well, though it may not attract a broad new audience. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2004/film/awards/the-phantom-of-the-opera-10-1200529133/) ## The Times — James Christopher Fi1m's normalised score 68/100 (inferred from the text). 9 December 2004. Schumacher's version is the best piece of taxidermy ever seen, with note-perfect songs, staggering sets and a cast full of swagger, though the tingle factor is entirely nostalgic and the film is unlikely to match the stage show's success. The big set pieces look miraculous but tumble like colourful dough around vaguely chewy lyrics. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/theatre-dance/article/the-phantom-of-the-opera-0vvxnrx8g90) ## Empire — Alan Morrison Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2010. This review discusses the 1925 silent classic rather than the 2004 film (wrong title/year match), so it does not qualify. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/phantom-opera-2-review/) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 10 December 2004. The film suffers from the same problems in translation that beset previous Andrew Lloyd Webber musical adaptations and remains filmed rock-opera that fails to ignite as dramatic cinema. The critic praises the lavish production, glorious voices, memorable songs, confident direction by Joel Schumacher, and strong supporting turns (notably Minnie Driver) while noting it is popular with older audiences. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/andrew-lloyd-webbers-the-phantom-of-the-opera/4021246.article) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 22 December 2004. The critic finds the film overwhelmed by Andrew Lloyd Webber's relentless bombast and Joel Schumacher's overstuffed visual style, likening the result to cultural butchery and a state of headachy nervous exhaustion. They single out the technically demanding music for praise, noting impressive singing from Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/22/movies/back-with-a-vengeance-the-music-of-the-night.html) ## Los Angeles Times — Carina Chocano Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 22 December 2004. The critic describes the film as an overblown, pretentious Vegas-style spectacle of lowbrow grandiosity that drifts in a semiconscious fog of mist and Rococo design, tedious and self-serious. They single out strange scenes for mild interest but criticize the repetitive melodies and overall mush, recommending skipping it for the planned Las Vegas extravaganza. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-dec-22-et-phantom22-story.html) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 39/100 (inferred from the text). 27 December 2004. The critic mocks the screenplay credit and the film's over-the-top, brocade-heavy production design as asphyxiating and threadbare gothic, calling it an extended special-edition remix of a Duran Duran video from 1986. They complain about the leads falling short and the music inducing a gentle snore, while noting some comic potential in Minnie Driver's Carlotta. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/01/03/unmasked-3) ## Time Out — MH Fi1m's normalised score 39/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. The film blunders ludicrously between every possible stool as a filmed version of the stage musical. The critic singles out the uncharismatic and feebly vocalised Gerard Butler as the Phantom, along with the inexpressive performances of the leads, for complaint while noting one good line and Minnie Driver stealing moments. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-phantom-of-the-opera-2) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 38/100 (inferred from the text). 10 December 2004. The film is a lifeless, soulless affair that smothers the story's Gothic potential in sugary bombast, with dull direction and horrible production design. The Phantom comes across as a sad, sweet boy rather than a compelling figure of menace. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/arts/fridayreview/story/0,,1369881,00.html) ## The AV Club — Nathan Rabin Rating D. 20 December 2004. The critic finds the film a long, tacky adaptation lacking emotional depth or ingenuity, with Gerard Butler failing to make the Phantom his own and the production emphasizing empty spectacle over substance. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-phantom-of-the-opera-1798200469) ## Slant Magazine — Ed Gonzalez Rating 0.5/4. 6 December 2004. The film is dismissed as one of the worst things the critic has ever seen, a tacky and soulless adaptation faithful to the stage version's flaws with overproduced songs and phony elements. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-phantom-of-the-opera-1274/) ## Eye for Film — Josh Morrall Fi1m's normalised score 68/100 (inferred from the text). 17 December 2004. The critic calls it a considerably flawed yet visually superb tale of beauty, beast and love. They single out the sweeping camera work, production design, costumes, sound and thunderous score for praise, while noting the overlong runtime and casting issues with the Phantom. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-phantom-of-the-opera-film-review-by-josh-morrall) ## Collider — Rhianna Malas Fi1m's normalised score 63/100 (inferred from the text). 22 May 2023. The critic argues the 2004 film is polarizing but has notable strengths in production design, costumes, sets, and orchestra, while ultimately falling short on emotional depth and casting for the leads. They single out Gerard Butler's layered acting performance as the Phantom (beyond the singing) for praise despite common criticisms. [Read the review](https://collider.com/gerard-butler-phantom-of-the-opera-underrated/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-phantom-of-the-opera.md