Film Review: Into the Woods

Moviegoers received a musical holiday gift like no other on Christmas day with the theatrical release of the new Disney film adaptation of Into the Woods.

Into the Woods, originally written as a stage show by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, is a modern-day interpretation of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales.

The story ties together Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel with a story about a baker and his wife. Having been cursed by a witch, the two set out on a three-day quest into the mysterious woods to retrieve four magical items for the witch; only then will she lift the curse on the baker’s family, and only then will the baker’s wife be able to bear a child.

This film has a top-notch cast.  Among them is Pitch Perfect’s Anna Kendrick as Cinderella and Academy Award winning actress Meryl Streep as the Witch.  With a cast of such a high caliber, it’s no wonder that the performances were so good.  Even the two children in the film, Daniel Huttlestone as Jack and Lilla Crawford as Little Red Riding Hood, exceeded expectations.

I was pleasantly surprised with how true the film stayed to the stage show.  Disney did however make some changes in collaboration with Sondheim. A few of the original work’s songs were left out of the film, Rapunzel’s plot was changed and the narrator role was pretty much nonexistent.

Despite the adaptations, the pacing was consistent, all plot holes were filled well, and the film was engaging and easy to follow.  Any imperfections in the film were easily overshadowed by the wonderful cast, music and cinematography that the film had to offer.

I expected Disney to be tame with the show’s dark humor to cater to their young demographic; however, Johnny Depp’s semi-pedophilic portrayal of the Wolf was somehow funny while also chilling my bones with its raciness.

Even more funny than Depp’s five brilliant minutes of screentime, though, was the princes’ duet Agony.  Sang by Chris Pine and Billy Magnussen, the musical duel quarrel over who had the most complicated love life was the comedic highlight of the whole film.

While Into the Woods was comedic, it was also filled with moments that were heartfelt and relatable.  No One is Alone, sung by Cinderella, Jack, Little Red Riding Hood and the Baker was a tear-jerking reminder of the abundance of love and support in the world, regardless of our circumstances.  The performance was emotional, sincere and such a joy to experience.

Journey with the Bakers Into the Woods, now playing in theaters.

 

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