|
INTO THE WOODS Send This Review to a Friend
On stage in its Broadway production and another seen in Central Park, “Into the Woods,” with intriguing music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and clever book by James Lapine, came across as a jaunty, humorously dark take on fairy tales twisted for the occasion. On screen the dark side remains as does Sondheim’s catchy score, but some of the bounce is gone, dwarfed by the excellent special effects and lavish production. Yet the movie still looms as a major achievement.
Much of the fun comes through, thanks to an appealing cast giving stellar performances, and the basic concept is intact. The familiar fairy tales “Cinderella,” “Little Red Riding Hood," “Jack and the Beanstalk” and “Rapunzel” are skewered to emphasize a down side in riffing on the inherent nastiness in what long have been palmed off as fun stories for the kiddies. There is wit in the stories (Lapine also did the screenplay) and we know how inventive Sondheim can be.
But at times as it all splashes together on screen under the expert direction of Rob Marshall, the effects tend to overwhelm the characters and the whimsy.
Coming across best are James Corden and Emily Blunt as the baker and his wife, suffering from a curse against them by the witch, played by Meryl Streep, who chews the scenery as never before. Streep plunges into character with costume and makeup that helps her to shed past images. She is one big nemesis in the evil scenes, although we ultimately get to see another side of the witch.
Others in the cast include Anna Kendrick as Cinderella and Lilla Crawford as Little Red Riding Hood, with Daniel Huttlestone as Jack and Mackenzie Mauzy as Rapunzel. Johnny Depp turns up amusingly as the nasty Wolf. The princes in the tale are played by Chris Pine and Billy Magnussen.
Sondheim’s appealing songs, including “No One Is Alone” and the amusing “Agony” are enjoyable, and, of course, the “Into the Woods” signature number permeates one’s brain.
Much effort has been poured into making the film, and the quality shows throughout. But sometimes less is more. I’m not sure what audience the film aims for. On stage the musical seemed to be targeted at theater-going sophisticates who admire Sondheim. Disney, the producing company, generally aims for family audiences. Most people seeing the movie will not have seen a stage version, so the effect will be fresh. It remains to be seen whether children (the film has a PG rating) will be charmed by all the goings-on even if missing the adult cleverness. A Walt Disney Studios release. Reviewed December 25, 2014.
|