The Nutcracker and the Four Realms Review

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms opens in theaters everywhere today! The live-action Disney’s Nutcracker film is based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s book. The film is full of awe-inspiring imagery and breathtaking graphics throughout. What you won’t find is a “ballet movie” – instead it follows the story of Clara, a young girl who’s just lost her mother and finds herself in an alternate world with some pretty interesting characters. Read on for The Nutcracker and the Four Realms Review!

I was invited as media to cover this event. All opinions are my own.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms Review

About the film:

All Clara (Mackenzie Foy) wants a one-of-a-kind key that will unlock a box that holds a priceless gift. A golden thread, presented to her at godfather Drosselmeyer’s (Morgan Freeman) annual holiday party, leads her to the coveted key—which promptly disappears into a strange and mysterious parallel world. It’s there that Clara encounters a soldier named Phillip (Jayden Fowora-Knight), a gang of mice and the regents who preside over three Realms: Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers and Land of Sweets. Clara and Phillip must brave the ominous Fourth Realm, home to the tyrant Mother Ginger (Helen Mirren), to retrieve Clara’s key and hopefully return harmony to the unstable world. Starring Keira Knightley as the Sugar Plum Fairy, Disney’s new holiday feature film “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” is directed by Lasse Hallström and Joe Johnston, and inspired by E.T.A. Hoffmann’s classic tale.

In case you missed yesterday’s post, I was in LA earlier this week for the world premiere of The Nutcracker and the Four Realms premiere.

My thoughts on the film:

What I loved about the film was that Clara’s love for things that tick! As there has been a big push for more female’s in the science space, it was nice to see Disney add this component to her character. I also love her fierceness and independence, while still being girly and dainty. She balanced that perfectly. Look for an exclusive interview next week with Mackenzie Foy, who plays Clara in the film, where we talk about these gorgeous costumes!

The Nutcracker aka Captain Philip Hoffman, played by Jayden Fowora-Knight, does an outstanding job. I love his loyalty to Clara throughout the film. They are an unbeatable pair!

As I mentioned above, this version of the film is based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s short story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.” The CGI in the film is stunning! I love all of the colors and the beauty of the realms. The detail in the Land of Flowers and Candy Realms are gorgeous.

When interviewing the ballerina, Misty Copeland, she mentioned that Disney created a live set, not a green screen, for her to dance in. She loved that she could feel like she was truly in the element, instead of a cold room. I’ll have more on that interview in a later post! I think that creativity only intensified Misty’s amazing dancing skills.

A Word of Caution

The fourth realm ruled by Mother Ginger, played by Helen Mirren, is a bit scary. I would definitely say this film is more for tween/teens and up as far as children go. There’s an opening scene when Clara enters the fourth realm where she’s attacked by thousands of mice that form as one big character. It may be a little intense for younger ones. I also found the carnivalesque atmosphere – including bouncing clowns – to be partly scary. The story also follows the loss of Clara’s mother, and while her mother is celebrated throughout, that part of the story might be difficult for some children.

Overall, I think the film will draw a large audience with tween/teen girls and younger boys as well. It’s not just a film for girls. I do think the array of Nutcracker themed merchandise will be a big hit this holiday season as well! I hope you enjoyed this Nutcracker and the Four Realms Review!

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms opens in theaters everywhere November 2nd! Check out the trailer below.

You Are Also Going to Love: