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Charming, witty, and everything you could want in a teen flick, "Beastly" modernizes an age old tale, and it does it right. Neil Patrick Harris steals every scene he's in as Kyle's blind tutor Will, and Mary-Kate Olsen shines as Kendra the witch. The film's leads, Alex Pettyfer and Vanessa Hudgens, lack in neither chemistry nor the acting department. While Vanessa Hudgens is clearly the weak link of the bunch, even her performance could have been much worse. The strange thing about Alex Pettyfer is that he always comes off as so sweet and sincere in his movies, but in real life he seems a tad full of himself. In all honesty, it saddens me. I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish he was like the characters he plays. That's actors for you, I guess. "Beastly" is utterly beautiful. In the beginning, Kyle is a shallow, egotistical jerk. But when he's served a piping hot slice of humble pie, compliments of Kendra, he becomes Hunter, the guy he he should have been all along. Perhaps one of the best parts of the movie was watching him try to woo Lindy. When his attempts to buy Lindy's love fail, Hunter stomps his feet and whines like a child. It's so adorable that you can't help but smile. With that said, there ARE some predicaments from which "Beastly" suffers. If you liked the book, you'll probably be disappointed to know that the library was ultimately traded in for the greenhouse. My heart nearly broke in half at this realization. However, I eventually got over that, as there is an even bigger problem: the ending. Simply put, the book's ending is 10 million times better. The ending in the movie is not nearly as powerful, and, at the end of the day, lackluster.

How to Watch Beastly Legally and Safely

If you want to stream Beastly through reputable and legal services, there are a few good options depending on where you are. Subscription platforms like HBO Max, Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+ sometimes carry Beastly films or related DC titles—though availability depends on your country.

If you’d rather not commit to a subscription, there are ad‑supported, free (but legal) platforms such as Tubi, Pluto TV, Peacock or Crackle (where available in your region) that occasionally host superhero films.

Lastly, don’t forget about library‑linked streaming options like Kanopy or Hoopla (if your library or university is registered), and official uploads by film distributors on YouTube—these can also give you legal access to classic movies.