“What is it about these woods?”
What happens when a slew of fairy tale characters are mixed up into one musical? You get Into the Woods, the latest live-action Disney musical. Based on the Broadway play by the same name, Into the Woods tells the story of what happens before and after happily ever after.
The main story-lines for “Into the Woods” include Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Jack (Daniel Huttlestone), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), the Baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt), and the Witch (Meryl Streep). When the film begins, there is a nearly 15 minute long musical number aptly titled Into the Woods, performed by the main cast, which sets the tone for the rest of the movie. It then sets most everyone on a course that sends them into the woods. After that, we see the Baker and his wife confronted by their next-door neighbor, the Witch, who reveals that she cursed the Baker’s family, and in order to break the curse, the Baker has to gather four objects for the Witch: a cloak, hair, a slipper, and a cow. So the Baker and his wife venture into the woods to retrieve the objects.
While on their quest, they run into Cinderella, who has defied her Stepmother’s orders by attending the ball given by the Prince (Chris Pine), Little Red Riding Hood, who is on her way to grandmother’s (with a basket full of treats prepared by the Baker himself), and Jack, who is looking to sell his dried-up old cow. I liked how the characters from the different stories interacted with each other. It was very much like the show “Once Upon a Time,” except Into the Woods is chock-full of musical numbers.
Act one of the movie involves the characters and their attempts to fulfill their dreams and wishes, to get to their happily ever afters. Act two is the untold story, what I always wonder, what happens after that. You think the story is over but it’s not. I won’t reveal what happens but it involves a giant, and of course, those ever-present woods.
The award for creepiest scene goes to Johnny Depp as the Wolf, for his disturbing song “Hello, Little Girl” which made me feel like I needed a shower afterwards. The award for cheesiest scene goes to Chris Pine as Prince Charming, for his exaggeratedly silly song “Agony”. Other notable performances included Tracey Ullman as Jack’s Mother , Christine Baranski as Cinderella’s Stepmother and Tammy Blanchard as Florinda and Lucy Punch as Lucinda, Cinderella’s Stepsisters.
Keep in mind, although this is a Disney production, these fairy tales are based on stories where terrible things happen. Unlike in the animated versions, the stories from “Into the Woods” more closely resemble the original fairy tales. There are deaths and other appalling events that occur. With a running time of just over two hours, I felt like everyone’s stories were rather squished together. There was plenty of character development, but it did feel a bit rushed.
If you think you are going to like it, you will. If you think you are going to hate it, you will. Do yourself a favor and go see it with someone who will enjoy it so you can enjoy it together. I personally loved it because I love musicals and I love fairy tales, and I can’t wait to get the soundtrack to the film!
