Review Summary: Revisionist version of Tchaikovsky gets the job done, even if it doesn't quite reach classic levels.
With the re-shoots and a second director brought on board, plus somewhat of a lack of confidence from Disney altogether in the marketing, I went into Nutcracker with low expectations. Live-action/CGI fairy tales have become the new bread-and-butter for the Mouse House, as they've churned out mostly hit after hit. In the meantime, however, what made me interested initially was the relief that Disney has more ideas up its' sleeve than just rehashing its' animated library.
To a little bit of a surprise, I found myself enjoying this movie more than I expected. Disney pulls out the expected stops here, but also plays the movie refreshingly safe at the same time. This isn't a bloated 2-hour ride that drags out its running time and focuses on the visual effects alone. In the meantime, the story also has a few surprising hidden layers makes the overall ride even more engaging.
As the lead of this film, Mackenzie Foy is very good. She exhibits grace, poise and a very relatable battle of insecurity and confidence. The film's scene-stealer, however, is a nearly-unrecognizable Keira Knightley (the Pirates of the Caribbean movies). She plays the Sugar Plum Fairy, in a performance that is both fun and surprising in quite a few ways. Morgan Freeman and Helen Mirren both have smaller roles, and don't get a whole lot to do. But, they both still bring their usual warmth and energy to the film. Mirren, in particular, gets an exciting moment late in the film. Jayden Fowora-Knight does a nice job acting opposite Foy as the Nutcracker soldier, Phillip.
The visual effects work here is spectacular. From several lush backgrounds to colorful bursts of visual panache, it all works. There's a few unique touches here too. From Mother Ginger's appearance to a China Doll series of clowns and a unique inside look at a "cuckoo clock", Nutcracker really tries to distinguish itself from its fantasy film brethren. There are moments that perhaps bring to mind Oz: The Great and Powerful and The Chronicles of Narnia a little too much, but that's not necessarily a bad thing here either.
There's also a five-minute ballet sequence that includes practical effects. This is definitely a highlight of the movie. Misty Copeland plays a ballerina that tells the story of the four realms. It's a wonderful sequence accompanied by a breathtaking rendition of Tchaikovsky's score. In fact, famous Nutcracker themes play throughout the film in very interesting moments here and there. James Newton Howard does a fantastic job bringing these themes and other original concepts to life.
This is also a rare fantasy flick that keeps its' story in focus. It also doesn't quite fall into the generic "savior fulfills a prophecy" trappings. There's a key theme here on how the loss of someone special affects other people. And, Clara's battle between her grief and her confidence is nicely-portrayed, even if its' not fully explored. Its' later revealed that the loss of Clara's mother didn't just have an adverse effect on her. The film tries to pull on the emotional heartstrings late in the game. It doesn't quite succeed, but its' at least gently touching in some ways.
There's a plot twist about three-fourths into the film that adds an extra layer to the story. The problem is that it's very lazily-executed. Right before the surprise happened, I figured it out. Perhaps it was some of the dialogue in that particular scene that didn't help matters either. I think it could have been rewritten to make the surprise feel more surprising.
The film also tries to be humorous, but the material is very lazy. It will probably make little kids laugh, but there's nothing really here that comes off as funny for the adults. Two guards try really hard to get laughs out of the audience, and I didn't hear any laughs in the screening I attended regarding those characters. The film's opening is also a little stiff. The interactions between Clara and her father aren't exactly the most convincing. The ending reconciliation does course-correct this, however.
In its story, Nutcracker does its best to be ambitious by twisting the original ballet's story and characters (you can thank Oscar-winning screenwriter Tom McCarthy for that). And, purists of the original material may not be a fan of this movie. But, in its' pacing, it's played safe. The film moves at a breezy pace, not stopping for long to reflect. The film keeps moving through at a fast enough pace to keep kids' attention. And yet, there's at least a little bit of substance hiding beneath the vibrant style.
The fact that Nutcracker manages to engage as much as it does has to be seen as a minor accomplishment. For once, the re-shoots made a movie better. Now, is the film going to wind up a Christmas classic? No. It's not deep or enchanting enough to really be seen as anything special. But, its' still a reasonably entertaining and exciting trifle that audiences may find likable.
My Score: 7.4/10
Content Concerns for Family Viewing: The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is rated PG for "mild peril". There's a few scenes that might be a little intense for younger viewers. The Mouse King's appearance may prove to frighten little ones. There's also a couple of minor fistfights that may prove to be a bit jarring. Mother Ginger's appearance also might be a tad intimidating. For those that are afraid of clowns, let's just say there's a couple of scenes that could be scary for them.
Besides that, early in the film, Morgan Freeman's character blurts out "d***" once. We also hear one "oh my g**" and one unfinished "what the...?". A few outfits reveal a bit of cleavage. One character lies and tries to deceive others. Two male characters act effeminate in a goofy cartoony way.
