“The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” visits you just in time to start getting into the Christmas spirit, but does it stand out with the many other existing plays and movies about the Nutcracker? I don’t think so.
Disney revisits the story with a young girl named Clara, played by Mackenzie Foy, as she goes off on an adventure of self-discovery into a world unlike any other. That is where Clara discovers a magical land in need of help.
It’s up to her and her new friend the Nutcracker to solve this world’s issues, but Clara will discover not everything is all it seems.
If this all sounds like a massive cliché, its because it is. My first issue with the film is that nothing about this plot felt original or stood out.
I already can feel myself forgetting what happened in the movie because it immediately feels like something you have already seen before.
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Maybe your attraction to this movie wasn’t the plot, and that is fair. This movie is heavily investing in its appearance, and often that is what sells tickets. Even that though, fell short.
It’s not that it doesn’t appeal visually to the viewer, it’s that Disney has been playing the same visual cards for some time now that even the visuals felt predictable.
If you have seen the most recent “Alice in Wonderland,” then you have seen this movie. If you have seen “A Wrinkle in Time” by Disney, you have seen this movie.
Even great actors such as Keira Knightley felt forced and awkward. This movie to me fell under a heavy formula that Disney has created in recent years, and people are catching on.
Not everything about this movie was lacking. There were a few things that I think you can go and enjoy if you choose to watch it.
The movie will be easy to watch with any family member, and young children will have a fun time looking into this imagined world and wondering what they would do there. Also, the music that is in the original “Nutcracker” play makes its way into parts of the movie, and is enjoyable when played.
I didn’t leave the theater mad that I went, just disappointed. This movie fell short for me with a cheesy plot, average acting, a visual style that felt borrowed from other movies and a formula that has been overworked by Disney.
I wouldn’t recommend this for adult viewers, but your children or relatives might have a fun time watching a movie during family night. I don’t see this movie becoming a classic anytime soon.
Abigail Compton is a junior in fine arts. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Collegian. Please send comments to opinion@kstatecollegian.com.
