Into The Woods

Into the Woods, based on the hit Broadway musical from Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, opens Christmas day. The story follows a Baker and his wife who long to have a child but cannot due to a terrible curse placed upon their home. To break the curse Witch requires them to collect four different items by the time the blue moon rises.

During their journey the Baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt) encounter several familiar fairytale characters including Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy), Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Prince Charming (Chris Pine) and Jack (Daniel Huttlestone). Their stories are well known but take on new life in this film.

The music in this movie is fantastic, the musical numbers transitioned well to the big screen. Anna Kendrick was a fantastic Cinderella and her singing was phenomenal. James Corden was another stand out. This is the first movie I had seen of his and he definitely left his mark. Corden’s singing may not be as strong as others in this film but his take on the Baker was delightful.

The pacing in the film is the one detractor. After a strong start, the musical tends to lag in the middle before bring it on home at the end.

Fans of the stage version may not like this adaptation as much as the original stage version but for those who have not seen the Broadway show, this film will be a pleasant, humorous way to spend an afternoon.

Grade: B