Based on the Stephen Sondheim/James Lapine Tony award-winning Broadway musical, “Into the Woods” is a superior example of adapting the stage to the screen. And in the wake of the worldwide smash hit “Frozen” and “Maleficient” thereafter, the success of “Into the Woods” at the box office was a bit of a forgone conclusion. But will it usher in a new era of movie musicals?
Following a baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt) as they go on a quest to start a family, “Into the Woods” strikes an odd fairy tale tone. The baker and his wife are childless and have been convinced by a witch (Meryl Streep) that they have been cursed. To lift the curse, the witch orders them to collect certain objects and bring them to her. This leads them into the woods, of course. Meanwhile, Jack (Daniel Huttlestone) is sent off into the woods by his mother (Tracey Ullman) to sell their cow. While in another part of the woods, on her way to grandmother’s house, Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford) meets a big, bad wolf (Johnny Depp). And Cinderella (Anna Kendrick) has her hands full battling her sisters for the affection of a charming prince (Chris Pine). Finally, the witch has imprisoned Rapunzel (Mackenzie Mauzy) in a tower where she is courted by a second handsome prince (Billy Magnussen).
Needless to say, the story is pretty busy and things get ever more complex as a female giant makes her way down a second beanstalk looking for a nice slab of revenge. It helps that all of the fairy tales upon which the narrative is based are well-known to us. And the permutations on these beloved tales makes for some amusing, if sometimes dark, moments. While the”Into the Woods” is certainly targeted at and suitable for little kids, events that take place lean to the mature side. People die in this tale. And Cinderella’s prince has one of the best lines, something like “I was raised to be charming, not sincere.” Older viewers will chuckle while little ones might have questions.
Naturally, there is a lot of singing in this movie. The opening sequence made me wonder whether all of the dialogue would be sung, but after a rousing opening, we get a pleasant mix of song and spoken word. Meryl Streep is the standout, with one number in Rapunzel’s tower that is as moving as it is beautiful. Chris Pine (“Star Trek’s” Captain Kirk) is well-cast as a rascal of a prince. He has one amusing scene where he demonstrates the ugly side of reaching the nauseating tipping point of being the ultimate combination of ultra charming and just too good-looking. This is where Anna Kendrick is smarty cast as a kind of anti-Cinderella—a normal looking girl with a heart of gold but not completely convinced that she’s found her prince or even that she needs one. And the sharp, darkly comedic story reminds us that happily ever after is just a catch phrase.
While the source material came from the stage, the production values of the movie are solidly cinematic. The set design is impressive and gives the entire production tangible weight. Although completely fantastic, there is an authenticity to the world that the fairy tale characters inhabit. Director Rob Marshall is the master of this kind of thing and, as he demonstrated with his Oscar nominated film “Chicago,” he has the right understanding of how Broadway should be translated.
“Into the Woods” is unique in the marketplace. This year, audiences did not warm up to the big screen adaptation of “Jersey Boys” and even “Muppets Most Wanted” had its critical detractors. Already opening to significant box office during the Christmas holiday, “Into the Woods” may prove to be the spark that brings more singing and dancing to our metroplexes. But without a prince and a princess, will audiences flock to see them?