12 Great Soundtracks In Otherwise Terrible Movies

It’s clear that the best part of The Greatest Showman was its soundtrack because when audiences spoke positively of it, they seemingly only mentioned the music and it didn't seem to matter what the remainder of the film was like.

The composition is a great blend of old and new – it’s classic Hollywood combined with modern pop. The lyrics are clever and sincere, the orchestration is evocatively moving and each actor performs their songs with a real feeling of Broadway which makes you instantly connect with the characters (at least in their singing moments).

The song “This is Me” even received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song. Needless to say, producers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul have created a masterpiece in modern music within cinema.

But when the musical numbers aren’t playing, the cracks of The Greatest Showman begin to unveil themselves. It’s a classic example of too much pizzazz and not enough actual content. The script is lacklustre and uninspired, with many pacing issues – the story moves too quickly before any new events or plot twists have a chance to breathe and settle.

Many of the acting performances were by the numbers and half-baked whilst none of the characters had much growth or development. Even the cinematography looked too refined which meant the show performances lacked a sense of spontaneity about them.

Ultimately, the producers prioritised the songs and left no afterthought for the story. The Greatest Showman claims a top tier soundtrack but hits a bum note on every other aspect.