As the release date arrived, The Greatest Showman exhibited signs of being a box office success in the making.

With its all-star cast attracting crowds of differing backgrounds, it appeals to many. For those familiar with Marvel’s Wolverine, Hugh Jackman is no stranger to the screen. With that said, Jackman is also no stranger to musicals.

The Australian may be well known in American cinema for his action roles, but his heart is in music with his origin stemming from the theater itself.

The story is set in New York City and follows the journey of P.T. Barnum, a man from humble beginnings trying to create a live show attraction of unique individuals after he loses his job. Disney golden boy Zac Efron returns to his first musical since his appearance in Hairspray.

His character Phillip Carlyle is convinced to join Barnum’s show to which he agrees. This then introduces the next young star, Zendaya’s character: Anne Wheeler.

The forbidden love story between Carlyle and Wheeler is a particularly driving story within the movie as it is arguably the biggest attraction of the young audience. The tension between the two lovebirds is thanks to their differences in race, as Wheeler is a black woman.

This was an exceptionally interesting part of the plot and really added some serious depth to what could’ve otherwise been a quite generic love story. At one of the climaxes of the movie, the character Jenny Lind played by Rebecca Ferguson performs “Never Enough” which is probably the best song on the soundtrack. The ballad is haunting and beautiful and sets the scene for Phillip Carlyle and Anne Wheeler who are in attendance to the performance.

The scene shows Wheeler and Carlyle holding hands quite secretively (and fearfully) until they are judged by an older couple nearby. Heartbreakingly, Phillip lets go and Anne exits at the height of the song.

Their love story together continues into the performance of their own duet of “Rewrite the Stars” in the Barnum Circus.

This song is another hit as fans of both the former Disney stars flocked to the theaters just for a snippet of this interaction.

There’s another layer of tension rising between Barnum and his wife Charity, played by Michelle Williams. This tension, which is mended by the end of the movie and is closed by the song “The Greatest Show.”

The verdict: The Greatest Showman will take you through an array of emotions. The visuals are absolutely stunning, the coloring of the movie is exceptional. You quickly become attached to the characters and everyone will find a little bit of themselves in their stories.