Disney's big-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical "Into the Woods" has plenty of charm and charisma to cover the tiredness of the film's premise.
The story begins when a witch arrives, quite explosively, at the front door of a baker and his wife with an ultimatum: They must collect five different magical trinkets before the end of three days, or they will never have a child. The Baker and his wife then set into the woods on a quest that entwines their fates with those of Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Jack (and the beanstalk).
Disney has done a wonderful job of bringing the Broadway musical to the big screen without being cheesy or over-dramatic. In all actuality, the musical is quite entertaining. Although the original stage version of "Into the Woods" preceded some of the films and TV series to ape this trend, the whole "fairy tale characters coexisting in a single story" idea is pretty played out, and the musical is a bit uneven in the end. But it's the overall picture that's important.
While a lot of famous characters weave in and out of the film, it's the story of the Baker and the Baker's Wife. They're the lightning rod for the rest of the characters, and they way that everyone meets is quite whimsical and fun. I think my favorite instance has to be the Baker and Little Red Riding Hood; the punchline of the scene is, of course, another played-out moment — a recurring theme — but I still couldn't help but giggle.
The unevenness of the film is its biggest flaw — an almost perfect balance of whimsy and comedy at the beginning, with characters who are just different enough and a quest that's just plain fun. But the third act takes an odd, jarring shift in tone that feels out of place and causes interest in the film to wane.
Luckily, the film has a stellar cast that's strong enough to act as the glue of the story. James Corden and Emily Blunt are absolutely brilliant as the Baker and the Baker's Wife, especially Corden, who exudes the perfect combination of aloofness and bravery to make moviegoers fall in love with him. Meryl Streep is wonderful as the witch, and Anna Kendrick is the perfect Cinderella.
If you're a fan of the classic Disney films or the Broadway musical, you'll fall in love with "Into the Woods," flaws and all. It's the perfect film to own on Blu-ray, especially with the bevy of special features available. There's a never-before-seen original song, a pair of featurettes ("The Cast as Good as Gold" and "Deeper 'Into the Woods' ") and filmmaker commentary. Be sure to add this gem to your movie collection.
Film: 4 Yaps Extras: 3.5 Yaps