The Nutcracker and the Four Realms – Film Review

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, is a visually delightful yet unfortunately empty reimagination of the timeless Christmas classic from Disney. It attempts to transform E.T.A. Hoffmann’s The Nutcracker and the Mouse King and Marius Petipa’s ballet into a dynamic, family-friendly adventure film. However, while it earns marks for costume and set design, it largely falls flat with lackluster character development and disjointed storytelling.

Mackenzie Foy is commendable as the protagonist, Clara Stahlbaum, a young girl bestowed with the duty to protect the four realms following her mother’s demise. Yet, even Foy’s performance feels bland and two-dimensional amidst the glossy backdrop and lack of potent narrative. Clara embarks on her adventure on Christmas Eve when she discovers a parallel universe divided into four realms where her mother once reigned as a benevolent queen. However, this complex realm-building, which usually breathes life into a fantasy movie, was neither given substantial detail nor adequate depth, thereby missing its potential mark completely.

This cinematic Nutcracker aims to be both Alice’s Wonderland and Narnia with a festive spin, but the muddled execution ends up being an uninspiring meandering through lukewarm threats and lifeless characters. Clara’s transition to her destined heroism lacks substance due to poor characterization and stunted development.

An elaborate chunk of the movie has been consumed by the Sugar Plum Fairy (Keira Knightley), who had potential but is sadly misused and over-stylized, eventually rendering a hammy and annoying caricature. She exudes more cringe than charisma in a forced higher-pitched, almost sickly-sweet tone, in sharp contrast to the dark backdrop of the narrative. This resulted in Knightley being more unsettling than endearing.

Richard E. Grant, Helen Mirren, and Jayden Fowora-Knight barely salvage any remaining semblance of the movie with their underdeveloped characters. Despite possessing an enchanting voice, Fowora-Knight’s Nutcracker/Phillip felt like an undercooked plot device rather than a person.

The real standouts of the film are unquestionably the spectacular production and costume design. The cinematography’s vibrancy captures every sparkle and hue of the four realms brilliantly. The dance number performed by ballerina Misty Copeland provides a rare moment of spectacle, recalling the ballet roots of the tale.

Composer James Newton Howard’s score melds well with the traditional ballet theme, sprinkling elements of Tchaikovsky’s music throughout. Yet, it can’t mask the storyline’s missing heartbeat, its hollow soul failing to move us beyond the surface.

Unfortunately, the sugar-spun marvels and colorful array of the realms’ spectacle are unable to hide the thin plot, flawed narrative arc, and forgettable performances that form the film’s backbone. As much as Disney may wish, one cannot fill narrative gaps with aesthetic frills. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is like a beautifully decorated Christmas gift that lacks substance. Once the ribbons and the wrapping paper have been pulled apart, all that remains is an empty box.

In attempting to engineer a bold new classic, the creators overlooked what made the Nutcracker enchanting in the first place: the mystery, the grandeur of a festive dream turned into reality. Unfortunately, this version feels too preoccupied with weaving an ambitious CGI fantasy, losing the original’s genuine magic along the way.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms disappointingly forgoes nuance for overstated theatricality, thus falling short of its potential. While it attempts to invoke the holiday spirit through gorgeous aesthetics and a festive background, it regrettably lacks the heart, charm, and narrative coherence to successfully create an enchanting Christmas tale for a new generation.