I'm not entirely sure why Fairy Tales have become such big business in recent years. It seems like every other weekend there's some new movie or TV show offering a twist or reinterpretation on the stalwart stories of the Brothers Grimm. Maybe it has something to do with a mass psychological need for stories of simple morality, where good deeds are rewarded and wickedness punished, in light of the current morally gray and complex culture we find ourselves in at the moment. Who knows, I'm a film critic not an anthropologist. But it's not surprising that with the renewed interest that we'd eventually get a film version of the original subversive take on classic Fairy Tales, Stephen Sondheim's musical Into the Woods. Presented with all the pomp and star power Disney can provide, the new adaptation is an uneven but nonetheless enjoyable outing at the movies.
And just to be upfront, this review is based on only the new film. I haven't seen the original stage production so how good of an adaptation it actually is, I have no idea. That established, our story primarily follows a Baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt) in a standard fairy tale setting whose greatest wish is to have a child. A Witch (Meryl Streep) has cursed the Baker's family though, because his father stole from her garden years ago. But the Witch informs the couple that she will lift the curse if they can bring her four specific items before the blue moon in three days time. So the pair head off, um, into the woods to collect them, crossing paths with Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack (of beanstalk fame), and Rapunzel whom are all chasing after their own wishes. As all these characters help & hinder one another, everyone eventually reaches their happily ever after. But as the consequences of their time in the woods come home they all begin to wonder, just how happy are they?
