The IMAX Nutcracker

A weak script replaces the ballet in this version of E.T.A. Hoffman's holiday tale. I was prepared to deal with the modernization and eagerly awaited the mouse invasion and the battle with the toys... but instead of a reasonable action scene the movie serves up chaotic scrambling around and people in very silly mouse suits in a set that looks about ten feet wide. Despite the possibilities of movie magic, there's no attempt to transform the Nutcracker into the prince -- just a cut. Clara's constant voice-overs explaining the action are also frustrating. What dancing remains is mostly awkward and staged in a very cluttered way. A Nutcracker without extended ballet numbers should only be as long as the plot supports... perhaps 30 minutes? This is a drawn-out, dull piece of fluff.

I like traditional films and I tend to see Imax like a gimmick. In this case, however, I felt that the story, the emotions and the music of the film were not overtaken by the spectacular FX and I liked that. Less tricks, more feelings.... Tricks can be fabricated by the lorry load, it is just a question of $$$, feelings, poetry and emotions cannot be replaced when missing. In this film there is plenty of the latter. I would say it is a Low Tech piece of poetry.

Normally I'm all for Imax movies and I was very exited to see this one. The good parts were the visuals. The sets and costumes were great and very whimsical, but the movie itself was horrible. A great let down, especially from the Imax company.

It was certainly different from the normal Ballet interpretations. Sad to see that Lotte Johnson (Clara) never did anything else, she was very good.