Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods is adapted in this musical from director Rob Marshall and Walt Disney Studios. Inspired by a choice selection of Brothers Grimm fairy tales, this plot centers on a baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt) who incur the wrath of a witch (Meryl Streep) while attempting to start a family. Subsequently cursed by the vengeful hag, the hapless couple find their fates linked with those of Cinderella (Anna Kendrick),Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy) and Jack (Daniel Huttlestone) of Jack and the Beanstalk. Johnny Depp, Chris Pine, and Lucy Punch co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Rob Marshall
Cast: Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna
Kendrick, Chris Pine
Release Date: Dec
25, 2014
Rated PG for Thematic Elements, Some Suggestive Material
and Fantasy Action and Peril
Runtime: 2 hr. 4 min.
Genres: Music/Performing Arts, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Review:
Into the Woods is this year’s entry into the big budget
musicals and it fairly solid success.
Rob Marshall, who directed one of my favorite movie musicals Chicago,
delivers an energetic film that just enjoyable to watch and listen to. James Corden and Emily Blunt anchor the film
with the latter showing off some impressive pipes. They share an adorable sort of chemistry
together and really bring the film together on multiple levels. Meryl Streep energetic performance as the witch
shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.
Anna Kendrick and a hilarious Chris Pine make for a fun Cinderella and
Prince Charming. Lilla Crawford leaves a
solid impression as a head strong Red Riding Hood. Her encounter with Johnny Depp’s Big Bad Wolf
is by far the film’s most subversive segment.
Into the Woods has great energy while we’re running through the mash up
of the fairytales but then we hit the 3rd act where the film comes
to a grinding halt. It’s not horrible by
any stretch but it doesn’t have the energy of the first 2 acts as we move from
the fairytales to the story’s finale. A
bit of trimming on the film adaptation would have done wonders.
B-
hmmm i really liked the cast, and thought the first half of the film started out great. but the second half (especially the last quarter) ran on a bit too long after a false ending.
ReplyDeleteThink we are both in agreement on this one, that last act really could have been cut.
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