Review may contain minor spoilers

Disney is a force to be reckoned with, nobody would likely dare cross their path, but as with striking gusto fashion they have established their brand like never before. With the likes of’ “Wreck It Ralph”, “Frozen”, and “Big Hero 6” earlier this year – and after merging with Marvel and Lucasfilm, they can’t be stopped!

Then “Into The Woods” came out.

For starters I enjoyed the first hour or so of this beloved musical being brought to life on the big screen. Songs like; “Giants In The Sky”, “Agony” and “Stay With Me” did make the cut – and are sung, and choreographed beautifully. – they bolster off the screen. I can’t say the same for “Agony (reprise)”, “No More” or the “1st and 2nd Midnight songs” – that did not make the cut. I understand the discrepancy, and you must make the necessary changes to progress the story further. But to me, reducing the mysterious old man (a.k.a The Bakers father) to an hallucinatory factor (who is of such utter importance in propelling the Bakers actions) was not the best artistic choice the studio could have made.

Not Ok.

Director Rob Marshall was, in my opinion, the best candidate for the directing chair – and his visuals aesthetics are executed perfectly – the sets were impressive. I found also to be interesting the little quirks and visual effects stints that you can’t really accomplish doing the staged musical, and Meryl Streep looked beautiful.

The cast is not the issue, the cast is actually stealler, although I sincerely hope audiences didn’t think Johnny Depp’s character was prominent (as he received top billing, yet his only in the film for roughly five minutes). Here is a bright spot – I was genuinely surprised that Disney executives let most of the Wolf’s song “Hello Little Girl” carry the blatant subtext, (and by this I mean one that doesn’t have a happy ending) it’s a song designed to make you feel a little on edge – and that it did.

James Corden, and Emily Blunt are great as the lovable Baker & Wife – trying to find the dastardly items (Cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn, cow as white as milk, slipper as pure as gold) and how events escalade once they venture into the woods.

Equally, look at the year Streep has had – taking two very well known written stage productions (August: Osage County, and now this) in the same year, and making them her own. The material is all there, and concrete – and leave it to Streep to strike her own creative ingenuity into the film.

The best song of the film, however, does not come from; The Witch, Jack or the Baker..nope that ode belongs to “Agony”. Sung by Cinderella and Rapunzel’s prince (Chris Pine & Billy Magnussen). I have seen the production on stage a few times, and this is the funniest (light hearted) song of the musical. And Marshall captured that essence perfectly. Much credit goes to the choreography team at producing a fine musical number.

In the end, the first two thirds of the film play like a twisted version of fairytales gone wild, and subversive context of the songs, and plot drives the film. But once those magical items are brought to life (and the Baker’s scavenger hunt is over), is when “Woods” propels downward and lose it’s swindle of things. For a story so openly optimistic about finding truth and happiness, never ends on the right beat it’s supposed too – and I left with confusement and ready for a third act. However much to my shame the movie had already ended, and when I wanted the closure I was seeking, from the other twenty times I had seen the production. What I got? was a pampered rendition of Disney trying their ‘best’. Sadly, there best just wasn’t good enough.

C+

Directed By: Rob Marshall

Rated: PG

Runtime: 127 mins

Studio: Disney

Release Date: December 25th 2014

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