The Nutcracker and the Four Realms movie review

MOVIE TITLE: The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

RATING: PG

LENGTH: 99 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: C+

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Young children may be confused by the plot.
This is yet another Disney princess movie that celebrates female empowerment.
One swear word.
Some fighting (bloodless).
Some cleavage seen in women’s scooped necklines of their dresses.

IN A NUTSHELL: Based on The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T. A. Hoffmann, this coming-of-age movie adaptation feels partially familiar, yet also new and wacky. I wanted it to be magical and wonderful, but it doesn’t quite deliver what Disney is known for. It feels like a sugary cupcake that is beautifully decorated, but mostly fluff with no nutritional value. Very young girls may enjoy it. Most everyone else will be bored and disappointed. I hate saying this, but if you lower your expectations, then you’ll find it charming. Remember how disappointed you were in the movie adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time (2018) ? It’s kind of like that…

THEMES:

Coping with the death of a loved one
Courage
“When you miss someone, you remember them.” – Clara (Mackenzie Foy)
Do what’s right.

THINGS I LIKED:

I’m so glad there was some ballet in it, although it was pretty basic. It should have been spectacular and magical.
A lot of viewers complained it didn’t have enough of Tschaikovsky’s famous 1892 Tchailkovsky’s Nutcracker Suite With Swan Lake . I thought there was enough to give a respectful nod to its title.
The set pieces and production design are really beautiful, even magical.
Helen Mirren is fantastic in everything she does. Unfortunately, I thought she looked like a pirate clown as Mother Ginger. What was the deal with her facial make-up? Yes, she’s supposed to look like a cracked cookie, I guess, but it just didn’t work. And speaking of pirates…Morgan Freeman with an eye-patch? Even, so, it’s always good to see him in a movie.
Mackenzie Foy does a great job with a British accent (she’s American.) She was adorable in Interstellar and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2. She’s absolutely lovely.
This may be the first time I’ve seen Kiera Knightly play an actual character. She was fun to watch. Her cotton candy hair was cute until she ate some of it (creepy.)
I’ve loved Miranda Hart ever since I first saw her in the British comedy MIRANDA on the BBC. Check out Miranda The Complete Boxset – Includes Series 1, 2, 3 & The Finale [Import] She plays the Dew Drop Fairy for a fleeting moment. I would like to have seen more of her. She was first spotted as a stand-up comedienne at the famous Fringe Festival in Edinburgh. Have you been? I got to go last summer and it was as awesome and fun as you would hope. Put it on your Bucket List! Check out my new travel hacks blog at EmptyNestTravelHacker.com
Beautiful costumes.
Keep watching after the rolling credits for some more ballet!

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

Captain Philip as the nutcracker was disappointing. In fact, I didn’t even realize Jayden Fowora-Knight WAS the nutcracker until almost the end of the movie! His suit should have looked more like a nutcracker somehow. The white mustache was all wrong, but that doesn’t mean I know how to make his mouth look more like a nutcracker. The moments when he and Clara spoke to each other felt like a high school play with flat dialogue. He was fine in Ready Player One ,but he’s just not very memorable as the Nutcracker, which is really sad, considering his name is in the title of the movie!
Not much humor. Nothing made me laugh out loud.
It’s slow-moving, flat, emotionless, and without a lot of action.
Was the Russian looking castle supposed to be a respectful nod to Russian composer, Tschaikovsky?
Because the title features “the Four Realms,” I would have liked to see more of the other characters representing those areas.

FUNNY LINES:
* “Hello boys!” – The Sugar Plum Fairy (Keira Knightley)

“They’re huge.” – Clara

“I know. Aren’t they magnificent?” – The Sugar Plum Fairy in a kind of Mae West, sexy tone.

INTERESTING LINES:

“There are some journeys you have to go on alone.” – Mother
“You see the world in a unique way. When you realize that’s your greatest strength, you can change the world.” – Mother to Clara
“There’s nothing here.” – Clara

“There’s music.” – Captain Philip

OTHER MOVIES LIKE THIS YOU MIGHT ENJOY BETTER:

The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe