The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

“The Nutcracker and the Four Realms,” released in 2018, is a strangely hideous mishmash of images and ideas, as convoluted as its confusing title would suggest. It’s at once familiar and bizarre, overfilled yet half-baked. Despite it displaying impressive individual elements, the overall end stays far from the magic it wants.

Disney’s attempt on the holiday classic is somewhat the story you know, and it’s somewhat Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland,” which is not exactly a recommendation. Christy Lemire noted in her review, “It’s got pieces of Tchaikovsky’s music and some ballet, courtesy of superstars Misty Copeland and Sergei Polunin, but not nearly enough. (Come to think of it, 99 minutes of these powerhouse dancers merely rehearsing their performance would have been more than satisfying compared to this misguided extravaganza.)” Despite the film’s mythology being dark, it's also boring.

Lemire mentioned, “In an unusual move, this “Nutcracker” is credited to two veteran directors, Lasse Hallstrom and Joe Johnston—although they didn’t work on the film at the same time. Hallstrom (“The Cider House Rules,” “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?”) was the original director, but then Johnston (“Jumanji,” “Captain America: The First Avenger”) was brought in to helm significant reshoots with extensive visual effects when Hallstrom had a scheduling conflict. Maybe that’s why the film feels so unfocused, so herky-jerky tonally. It’s easy to speculate from the outside. What’s clear, though, is that there is simultaneously too much going on here in the script from first-time Ashleigh Powell, and yet not enough.”

Here is what she meant. Mackenzie Foy stars as Clara, a girl who’s understandably having difficulties enjoying Christmas after the passing of her beloved mother. (Foy played a young Jessica Chastain in “Interstellar,” and she has an engaging presence, but British accent is shaky.) Nevertheless, she must trail to the elaborate holiday party she attends annually with her father (Mathew Macfayden) and her siblings (Ellie Bamber and Tom Sweet) at the lavish home of her godfather, Drosselmeyer (Morgan Freeman). Before her passing, Claire’s mother had an extra-special Christmas gift for her this year: an elaborate, egg-shaped box, which she can only open using a key that awaits her in a magical, parallel world.

When she follows along, golden thread through a tree trunk and finally arrives there, she finds it’s separated into four realms – hence the title. They are the Land of Flowers, the Land of Snowflakes, the Land of Sweets, and the Land of Amusements – the last of which is a scary, abandoned place where the cruel Mother Ginger, played by Helen Mirren, rules with the help of her army of mice. Early in the film, Clara and her nutcracker friend and guide, Phillip, played by Jayden Fowora-Knight, are attacked by a giant mouse made of mice, resembling what the Minions do when they climb on top of each other in a weak attempt at being helpful. This is one of many CGI set pieces that are strange, unclear and not nearly as exciting as they try to be. (Lemire pointed out, “The gifted cinematographer Linus Sandgren, an Oscar-winner for “La La Land,” shot this, which you’d only know from the visually striking dance sequence that plays during the closing credits. The rest is garish kitsch.”)

Anyway, turns out that Clara’s mom was the queen of the Four Realms, and Clara, as the princess, must stay and restore the place to its former peace and harmony. Because it wouldn’t be a Disney movie without a deceased parent and/or a princess, or at least some type of princess merchandise to sell. Saying that, the beautiful and decorative dresses from veteran costume designer Jenny Beavan, a two-time Oscar winner and 10-time nominee, are among the film’s few highlights.

Clara gets some guidance from the head of the flower realm (a colorful Eugenio Derbez) and the ruler of the snowflake realm (Richard E. Grant, covered in icicles). However, her new friend is Sughar Plum, the cheerful leader of the Land of Sweets, played by a nearly unrecognizable Keira Knightley. Lemire said, ““The Nutcracker” gives Knightley a rare chance to ham it up for broad, comic effect under tiers of sparkly purple and a pink cotton candy swoop of a bouffant. Her voice is a perky, girlish wisp as she makes a variety of naughty double entendres, and it’s entertaining as a marked departure for this celebrated actress.”

However, her character and Mirren’s suffer the most from how trimmed the script for “The Nutcracker” feels. Lemire admitted, “A major twist occurs out of nowhere about halfway through, which prompted my nine-year-old son to turn to me during the screening and ask: “Who knew?” Not me.” The film does indeed make a sudden tonal change from which it never recovers, one that strangely turns this magical fairy tale into an outcome of war. Because kids love that at Christmas. “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” is a giant and expensive lump of coal.

Don’t get me wrong. I loved the costumes and the look of the movie, but the story was just meh. I just couldn’t seem to get into this film, and it’s not a Christmas movie that I would recommend anyone to watch. If you see it, fine, but don’t make it a tradition to see this every December. This is easily one of the most forgettable films out there. Just do yourself a favor and don’t watch this because you will not like it, I promise.

Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be talking about a show in “Disney Month 2022.”