The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

The Nutcracker is perhaps the most famous ballet in the world. So, of course, it's been adapted into a few movies before. The last film version, The Nutcracker in 3D, crashed and burned in 2010. Let's see if Disney can do any better with its version, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house,
Clara Stahlbaum's mind was at unease. Eek! Is that a mouse?!
Her mother was dead, like many a movie mom was ...
She left her family all gifts for this day before Christmas.
Clara got a mechanical egg. What does it do?
It's locked. She needs the key to see through.

Her godfather Drosselmeyer has a Christmas Party.
He leaves Clara the key, which is under a tree.
It's down a weird hall and how's this for ya?
She finds the key in the tree on the set of Narnia?

No. It's the Land of Snowflakes, one of four realms.
They each have a regent right at the helm.
The Lands of Sweets and Flowers are two more
And the last realm is trouble galore.
The Land of Amusements is at its nadir
It's ruled by bad mice and one Mother Ginger.

Clara's mother ruled the four realms once before.
So now Clara has their peace to restore.
The Nutcracker Hoffmann joins her mission
But the real enemy is someone beyond suspicion.

The film started with Lasse Hallstrom (My Life as a Dog, The Cider House Rules) as sole director before it added Joe Johnston. The screenplay by newcomer Ashleigh Powell gets points for its original twists. The actual villain was amusing to find out. Its main plot is otherwise cliche. The lack of dancing might disappoint some, but the original story (The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by ETA Hoffmann) wasn't so dance heavy either. There's a problem, though, when the title character is very much a supporting character.

The cast, including Mackenzie Foy (Clara), Morgan Freeman (Drosselmeyer) and Helen Mirren (Mother Ginger), are well-suited for their character types. The biggest surprise is Keira Knightley as the squeaky-voiced Sugar Plum Fairy. She's all cutesy and nice, a bit too much, but she's got a strong mean side. Jayden Fowora-Knight does his best as Hoffmann the Nutcracker. There's also a pair of "comic relief" Toy Soldiers who are just forgettable.

Tchaikovsky's iconic score was adapted by James Newton Howard. Quite a bit is recognizable while other tracks are eerily distorted. Listen closely for some new music. The visuals accompanying the score are a mixed bunch. The colorful production and costume designs (by Guy Hendrix-Dyas and Jenny Beavan, respectively) is appealing. The makeup design is a bit too much, especially with Sugar Plum. The visual effects have some noticeable CGI, though it works for the villain's Tin Soldiers. Mother Ginger's Matryoshka Clown is a suitably creepy creation. The best work goes with The Mouse King, imagined here as a conglomerate of Mice.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is a fine take on a ballet. I've seen the ballet multiple times already and I appreciate the few divergences from the many times told tale. Most of them, anyway. Its story is acceptable even if it's in familiar movie terms. It's 99 minutes of matinee goodness. You'd probably be better off here than with the 2010 film.