Lo schiaccianoci e i quattro regni

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is a wondrous, visual experience that is somewhat light on substance. Apt acting and sensational ballet dancing excel and make this something more memorable than the premise might suggest. Any Disney fans will want to check this out. The story follows young Clara (Mackenzie Foy) as she recovers from her mother's death. However, a spark of hope lightens Clara after seeing her late mother's parting gift of a box with a hidden key. This key belongs to a parallel world, unlike anything, to which Clara must travel to obtain the key. With the help of budding soldier Phillip (Jayden Fowora-Knight), Clara learns of all obstacles that await, especially in the form of the menacing Mother Ginger (Helen Mirren), leader of the Fourth Realm. Most importantly is a looming war that could preside over the three Realms that are at peace - Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers and Land of Sweets and are threatened by the Fourth Realm. In the three Realms resides Sugar Plum (Kiera Knightley) who is on same page as Clara and braves her up for the Fourth Realm as the fate of the Realms and her mother's dying wish relies on it.

Mackenzie Foy, as Clara, well presents her character's central struggle to find her inner place amidst all the tragedy, while also being hopeful and cheerful. The end result of this character development is a joy to watch and most definitely the movie's best subplot, amongst all the other slumberous ones. Kiera Knightley, as Sugar Plum Fairy, regales with well-written comedic relief, but the timing of her intervention seems quite random and very over-the-top at times. Regardless, children, most of all, will find enjoyment with all the youthful energy. Jayden Fowora-Knight, as Philip, is my favorite character, despite this being only the second film he has appeared in. His charm and braveness add a relentless vigor to the character that never gets old. Helen Mirren, as Mother Ginger, likewise shines, despite her character suffering from a lack of screen time and character development. With what she is given, she shines with the menacing undertones that could mean good under the entire demeanor. Also, Misty Copeland's cameo is full of entertainment with her ballet proficiency bringing a certain something to the stage without feeling like a forced addition. Instead, it feels more like a celebration of the Nutcracker's roots and remains my favorite scene.

Lasse Hallstrom and Joe Johnston expertly direct the visual flair with clear attention to every nook and cranny of the special effects and sound design. Despite this, the movie has flaws coming from the lack of a compelling story line, aside from Clara's inner struggles. Everything feels introduced way too quickly and without clear meaning. This leaves the movie feeling rather inconsequential and just an excuse to put the Nutcracker on the live screen. Still, the movie delivers an amazing awe to each scene's production.

The message of the movie is to never lose yourself in sorrow and always connect with your family and friends during times of grief. I give this film 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 6 to 18.

Reviewed by Arjun N., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. For more reviews by youth, visit kidsfirst dot org.

Delightful family movie! Visually spectacular and a treat at Christmas.

I really enjoyed this film. A lot of the negative reviews seem to be awfully nitpicky for a family Disney movie. It's no masterpiece but I can't understand all the hate.

As we can all agree, it's visually stunning. The costumes are magnificent as well as hair and makeup. The sets are stunning and surprisingly, according to some of the interviews I've watched, most of it is not CGI. They created a beautifully detailed world and it pays off.

The story is not the same as the ballet, nor does it claim to be. I personally wouldn't want it to be the same. We get to experience the beloved elements of The Nutcracker in a new way. Though there's a lot of room for improvement, specifically in the script, I really enjoyed the new story. The dynamic between Clara and her late mother is great and is the real emotional draw of the film. Because it's a Disney film aimed at kids, the script is awfully cheesy at times, but not enough to be distracting.

Clara herself should be a strong selling point of the film. She's highly intelligent, specifically in engineering and physics. They make it a point to differentiate Clara from her sister, Louise, a proper (for that time period) young English woman. Not that there's anything wrong with being all prim and proper, in fact, Clara admittedly does spend a lot of the film in beautiful dresses and makeup. And yet, she's still the hero and she still kicks ass. This is important because it associates these feminine traits with power.

Hear me out on this. I feel like so many of the strong heroines we know and love are, in some ways, stripped of their femininity. They're typically made to be a strict "tomboy" who's "not like other girls." This by itself isn't the problem. The problem is that instead of embracing feminine traits, they diminish them. I know gender roles are bull, believe me, but I don't think women should be shamed for being what society deems feminine. You can be a bad b**** AND enjoy princess dresses. Women should not have to adopt "masculine" traits in order to succeed. Because of this, I think Clara is a fantastic role model for young girls who will almost undoubtedly take something from her.

So, although it's far from perfect, it's fun, beautiful, and full of heart. It's not claiming to be the next Shawshank Redemption so I don't see why it's being drilled so hard. It's a delightful little Disney movie, don't think so much about the specifics and just enjoy.

A good movie in my opinion. I know not everyone will like it, and I know a lot of people hate it (is it just because it's live action?), but it has a beautiful atmosphere, the costumes are amazing, and I feel happy whenever I watch it. Not my favourite Disney movie, but it's not the worst.

Mackenzie Foy tries her hardest here, and I enjoyed the one scene with Misty Copeland on stage. However, dialogue and story is beyond muddled. Internal logic makes no sense. Another fairy tale is now an edgy political commentary and an "epic war". World feels confined and claustrophobic. A bunch of tired Disney cliches surface here, like moping about dead mothers and Chosen One Princess. They even have a twist villain, because that's so beloved.

It's cynical and unpleasant. Too dull and scary for kids, too dumb for adults. If you're looking for the Nutcracker you won't find it here. Just go to the actual ballet, or watch the first Narnia movie