Let's get one thing straight: I am a massive fan of the musical. I saw it three times as a boy, and the effects remain. Intense, long single-shot performances by the stars are solid, though Crow is somewhat dispassionate as Javert. Musicals are sometimes best left as such.

Great performances by The leads elevate this film and make the mental conditions of each, the heart of the film, believable and engrossing. I especially like a good dance scene, but there was some degree of closure attained that I thought might have been better left understated.

Tarantino struck a fine balance with this one, hence the high rating. Just enough gore to be decidedly his work, enough historical context to elevate it above a Kill Bill style bloodbath. Characters are highly believable and profoundly interesting, and the plot thickens nicely.