REVIEW: The Nutcracker & The Four Realms Pirouettes On A Holiday Classic
The Nutcracker has been a beloved Holiday tradition since it first graced the stage at the Mariinsky Theatre in 1892. Adapted from E.T.A. Hoffman’s, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King”, the original story takes place on Christmas Eve night. A young girl, Clara, is gifted a Nutcracker by her godfather, Drosselmeyer and that Nutcracker will take her on a magical journey to places she has never seen. This coming Friday, November 2, Walt Disney Studios will put their own spin on the classic tale with the release of The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms sees Mackenzie Foy take on the role of Clara. On the night of Christmas Eve, Clara attends a party hosted by her godfather, Drosselmeyer. At first Clara is reluctant to be at the party as she is struggling with the loss of her mother and finding a place in society. When her godfather’s gift leads her to the Four Realms, Clara’s life will be changed forever.
The first thing to note about this iteration is it doesn’t follow the original storyline of The Nutcracker. Several major characters are featured, but Disney puts their own spin on them. The music from the ballet is featured and doesn’t play a large role, unfortunately. There is a lovely scene where Misty Copeland, as the Ballerina Princess, tells the story of the creation of the Four Realms through a beautiful dance set to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s score. Other than that, the music is vastly underused.
Mackenzie Foy is great as clever Clara, while Jayden Fowora-Knight plays her Nutcracker, Captain Phillip. These two are fun to watch together and play off one another quite well. Though both young actors, they are the standouts in this movie. Helen Mirren and Keira Knightley also star as Mother Ginger and the Sugar Plum Fairy, respectively. Helen’s part is surprisingly small, but she makes the most of the material she is given. Keira’s performance, on the other hand, is so over the top it may be a little too sweet for some.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is a wonderful film to take the family to see this weekend. The timing is a little early, as December is still a month away, but this movie will have everyone in your family getting into the holiday spirit.
Grade: B