Genre: Musical
Running Length: 2:05
Cast: Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt, Chris Pine, Johnny Depp, James
Corden, Lilla Crawford, Mackenzie Mauzy, Daniel Huttlestone
Director: Rob Marshall
Screenplay: James Lapine, based on the musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine
"Was that me? Yes it was. Was that him? No it wasn't.
Just a trick of the woods!" sings The Baker's wife from INTO THE WOODS.
The "woods", however, is not devious. In fact,
it's neither good nor bad - it is directly influenced by those that are in it.
The "woods" can also represent a reflection of sorts for those in it
- it brings either the best or the worst out of a person. The movie starts out
as a straight forward fairy tale movie but along the way, the smart screenplay
reveals the brokenness of its characters and the "grey" world they
are living in. Although positioned as a Disney musical featuring a mash up of
popular fairy tale characters (from the tales of The Brothers Grimm's), the
premise is actually pretty dark as it's filled with adult themes such as; sexual innuendos,
infidelity and death. This stuff is not for kids. Probably there lies the
problem of the movie. The adult elements are noticeably muted. A large portion
of the movie is spent establishing the characters and the choices they make,
while the more challenging and interesting content which deals with the
consequences are rushed through. Also, the production value of this film feels
cheap as most of the scenes look stage bound (yes, it's based on a Broadway
musical but...). I just wonder if it would have been a more satisfying
experience if it was made into a TV mini series instead, thus giving its
characters more space to develop. The songs are somewhat forgettable except for
one number, "Agony" sung by Chris Pine (in smug handsome scumbag mode).
Rating: 6.5/10
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