Disney movies have always been known for bringing the impossible and unimaginable to life. Children and adults alike have had their wildest dreams and fantasies play out before their eyes in Disney’s hands. And Disney has done it again, but in an unexpected way.
Disney somehow transformed the grace and beauty of The Nutcracker into a clunky, awkward mess.
“The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” had the potential to be a Christmas classicㅡthe movie that today’s kids could look back on and feel that same nostalgia many feel when “Elf” comes on the TV. However, it’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to watch this movie again.
It was doomed from the start due to the weak and dull writing that made it impossible to be invested in either the story or the characters. It was inherently going to be a struggle when trying to develop a story arc based on a ballet with almost no storyline. However, I was not expecting to watch another rendition of “Alice in Wonderland” that Christmas threw up on with a forced conflict driven by a villain with no coherent motive.
The mice soldiers had more depth and dimension than almost any other character
There was more character and plot development in the ballet and those characters didn’t even speak. The mice soldiers had more depth and dimension than almost any other character. The dialogue rendered each character mechanical and one dimensional, resulting in a lifeless movie. The weak plot line centers around Clara, a girl chasing a mouse with a key that unlocks an ornate silver egg that is supposed to contain everything she needs in life (spoiler alert: It’s a mirror. Disney spells out the message of this movie in the cheesiest way possible).
Mackenzie Foy (Clara) unfortunately suffered under the burden of the dull lines handed to her. Foy’s acting was either robotic with blank facial expressions or over exaggerated. Newcomer Jayden Fowora-Knight (Nutcracker/Captain Phillip) seemed to fare better under his leaden lines and somehow made Captain Phillip charming despite his relative lack of significance in furthering the plot.
There were faint glimmers of hope in salvaging the underwhelming performance of a weak lead actress who couldn’t carry the whole movie. However, Morgan Freeman (Drosselmeyer) and Matthew Macfayden (Mr. Stahlbaum), two of the strongest actors who brought interest and substance to the film, were wasted in their subordinate roles. The two comic relief characters may have brought some energy into the movie were severely underutilized with only three lines.
That being said, The Nutcracker wasn’t all bad.
Its creative visual direction saved this production. The whimsical world of snow, sweets and snowy London is stunning. The first shot of the movie, a dynamic, sweeping journey through London on the back of an owl, transports you into a majestic world. Complete with vivid colors, towering castles, seamless CGI and roaring music, the “The Nutcracker” showed hints of redemption from a clunky movie into a cinematic art piece.
The elaborate costumes and set pieces almost distract the audience from the awkwardness of the movie. The attention to detail was incredible, and the little things brought that classic touch of Nutcracker whimsy. The first taste of it is when the children at Drosselmeyer’s party have to find their presents by following a series of strings with their name strung up throughout the property. The creative team also made mice piling up into the shape of a human to fight off toy soldiers as the Sugar Plum Fairy (Keira Knightley) with cotton candy hair, work.
Keira Knightley was truly the star of “The Nutcracker”. Under Knightley, the Sugar Plum Fairy became an interesting, layered character. She’s bubbly, silly and just a little bit insane like what this movie might have been under the right direction. Helen Mirren (Mother Ginger) also played a pivotal role in trying to redeem this movie with her powerful and emotive delivery.
This film also succeeds with its diverse cast and strong female lead character. Clara is clever, inventive and strong, no matter how dull her lines may be which contrasts the traditionally passive character of the classic ballet “The Nutcracker” also benefited from the presence of Misty Copeland, the first African American prima ballerina. She lends grace and power in her short performance as a nod to the movie’s ballet roots, which also serves to remind us that some classics should be left alone.
No matter how visually dazzling “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” is, it is undeniably sloppy and discordant. It’s hard to love a movie with no heart because in the end, it’s just a hollow shell covered in glitz and glamour.
