The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

Greetings again from the darkness. Missing: Tchaikovsky and Ballet. OK, not missing entirely, and it seems all we do is beg for creativity and new approaches in movies, so let's give this one fair treatment. It's not the traditional "Nutcracker" holiday fare you've come to expect on stage, on TV, in the mall, at schools, and just about everywhere. Instead, it's a version wrung from both the 1816 original short story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" by E.T.A. Hoffman and the 1892 ballet by Marius Petipa with music from Tchaikovsky, yet also something quite different. Still, different doesn't always mean better ... sometimes it just means different.

We are treated to a beautiful extended opening shot as an owl swoops through old London. This acts as preparation for the abundance of stunning visuals headed our way throughout. Budding star Mackenzie Foy (INTERSTELLAR, 2014) plays Clara Stahlbaum, a young girl distraught that it's her first Christmas without her beloved mother Marie, who recently passed away. Clara's quietly grieving father (Matthew Macfadyen) delivers the presents Marie left for each of the three kids. Mechanically inclined Clara's gift is an ornate egg that requires a specialty key to unlock the hidden message Clara believes her mother has left.

A lavish Christmas party at her Godfather's (Oscar winner Morgan Freeman) mansion leads Clara to a parallel universe where her mother Marie was Queen of the four realms. This is a fantastical land that reminds (maybe a bit too much) of Tim Burton's ALICE IN WONDERLAND and the classic THE WIZARD OF OZ. Clara buddies up with a live Nutcracker soldier Phillip (newcomer Jayden Fowora-Knight), who quickly becomes her trusted bodyguard. Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers, Land of Sweets, and the blighted Fourth Realm run by a cast-out Mother Ginger (Oscar winner Helen Mirren) make up this world. Keira Knightley stars as the Sugar Plum Fairy, and her devilishly fun performance is responsible for most of the energy, humor and entertainment outside of the visual effects. The two time Oscar nominee seems to relish the voice, the costumes and the chance to play a quirky character.

Disney touches like the animal sidekicks are noted: Phillip's loyal steed, and the pesky little mouse that flashes more personality than anyone in the film outside of Sugar Plum. Most of the comedic secondary characters (including Richard E Grant and Eugenio Derbez) fall flat with very little do in a screenplay from Ashleigh Powell that gives the impression of multiple hands in the pie. Adding to the disjointed feel and lack of cohesion in the story flow is the fact that two very different directors worked on the project. Lasse Hallstrom (CHOCOLAT) handled principal photography and then Joe Johnston (CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER) spent a month on re-shoots with attention to visual effects. The contrasts between these two directors is quite clear in the finished project despite the cinematographer of Oscar winner Linus Sandgren (LA LA LAND).

The mishmash of styles and tone prevents us from ever really connecting with characters or being drawn in by the story, but beyond that, there are some really terrific visuals and special effects. I especially liked the look of the enhanced tin soldiers and the work of two time Oscar winning costume designer Jenny Beavan. Of course, this is a familiar story and many viewers bring certain expectations into the theatre with them. The iconic Tchaikovsky music is played early and throughout the film, though mostly in teases and in blends with new music from James Newton Howard. We do get a glimpse of Maestro Gustavo Dudamel conducting the orchestra, and for those expecting ballet, the fabulous Misty Copeland performs a couple of times, though it's likely not enough for those hoping for more of a ballet production. The end result is an impressive visual experience that will likely still disappoint those looking for another holiday watching tradition.

I have to write this: if you are expecting a truthful rendition of the ballet, then do NOT go see this. It is so much more....I am a dancer, and i was really worried it would an other ballet version...it actually draws back from the Hoffmann tale, which is quite dark. We still get a dose of dancing with the beautiful Misty Copeland, and we do not need more.

Mackenzie Foy tries her hardest here, and I enjoyed the one scene with Misty Copeland on stage. However, dialogue and story is beyond muddled. Internal logic makes no sense. Another fairy tale is now an edgy political commentary and an "epic war". World feels confined and claustrophobic. A bunch of tired Disney cliches surface here, like moping about dead mothers and Chosen One Princess. They even have a twist villain, because that's so beloved.

It's cynical and unpleasant. Too dull and scary for kids, too dumb for adults. If you're looking for the Nutcracker you won't find it here. Just go to the actual ballet, or watch the first Narnia movie

It was enchanting and a fresh take on a classic story, love that it didn't follow the ballet to a tea, and who you thought was the enemy really wasn't. Also love that Clara was an inventor and didn't lose one inch of feminity yet she was still a heroine who saved her mother's kingdom.reminded me a bit of Alice in wonderland and the chronicles of narnia would watch a sequel To this :)

I really enjoyed this film. A lot of the negative reviews seem to be awfully nitpicky for a family Disney movie. It's no masterpiece but I can't understand all the hate.

As we can all agree, it's visually stunning. The costumes are magnificent as well as hair and makeup. The sets are stunning and surprisingly, according to some of the interviews I've watched, most of it is not CGI. They created a beautifully detailed world and it pays off.

The story is not the same as the ballet, nor does it claim to be. I personally wouldn't want it to be the same. We get to experience the beloved elements of The Nutcracker in a new way. Though there's a lot of room for improvement, specifically in the script, I really enjoyed the new story. The dynamic between Clara and her late mother is great and is the real emotional draw of the film. Because it's a Disney film aimed at kids, the script is awfully cheesy at times, but not enough to be distracting.

Clara herself should be a strong selling point of the film. She's highly intelligent, specifically in engineering and physics. They make it a point to differentiate Clara from her sister, Louise, a proper (for that time period) young English woman. Not that there's anything wrong with being all prim and proper, in fact, Clara admittedly does spend a lot of the film in beautiful dresses and makeup. And yet, she's still the hero and she still kicks ass. This is important because it associates these feminine traits with power.

Hear me out on this. I feel like so many of the strong heroines we know and love are, in some ways, stripped of their femininity. They're typically made to be a strict "tomboy" who's "not like other girls." This by itself isn't the problem. The problem is that instead of embracing feminine traits, they diminish them. I know gender roles are bull, believe me, but I don't think women should be shamed for being what society deems feminine. You can be a bad b**** AND enjoy princess dresses. Women should not have to adopt "masculine" traits in order to succeed. Because of this, I think Clara is a fantastic role model for young girls who will almost undoubtedly take something from her.

So, although it's far from perfect, it's fun, beautiful, and full of heart. It's not claiming to be the next Shawshank Redemption so I don't see why it's being drilled so hard. It's a delightful little Disney movie, don't think so much about the specifics and just enjoy.