It’s no wonder Into The Woods managed to earn three Golden Globes nominations this year. The Disney fantasy film’s nominations included Best Comedy or Musical, Best Actress (for Emily Blunt’s role as the Baker’s Wife), and Best Supporting Actress for Meryl Streep (the Witch). Though Into The Woods didn’t win any of these categories, being nominated is a good recognition in itself. There’s still a chance for the film to succeed in the upcoming BAFTAs and Oscars.
It was a packed cinema as I viewed the movie on the day of release. The charming sense of wit, memorable musical numbers and whimsical nature enwrapped the whole audience in the story. I couldn’t help joining in the fun myself.
The great thing about Into The Woods is that it combines the well-known fairytales Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood and Jack and the Beanstalk in a way that turns tradition on its head, with the idea of a “happy ending” being quite elusive. At the heart of the story is the quest that a baker (James Corden) and his beautiful wife have to undergo by the decree of a witch, in order to lift the curse that renders them childless.
Into The Woods captures a dark and dreamy aesthetic, reminiscent of the Disney Dream Portraits by Annie Leibovitz, that matches the film’s mystical narrative with morbid undertones. Darryn King from The Guardian recognised this visual sensibility but dismissed the richness of the movie version, preferring a recent production by Fiasco Theater showing in New York.
No two media are the same, and while film and theatre are different modes of storytelling, I beg to differ with King’s opinion that the screen version isn’t subversive. It is highly subversive because Cinderella (Anna Kendrick) realises her prince (Chris Pine) isn’t genuine, the Witch isn’t plain evil, and the Baker gets what he wishes for but it results in something unexpected.
Despite Dion Beebe’s cinematographic magic, Sondheim’s rich musical repertoire, a brilliant screenplay by James Lapine (who collaborated with Sondheim on the original musical) and Colleen Atwood’s breathtaking costumes and the other strengths I’ve already mentioned, Into The Woods just falls flat in the end. I was so excited, anticipating the ending all the way through. Without spoiling it, all I can say is that it should have finished with a bigger impact and fully resolved the plot.
As Simon Weaving wrote in his review for the Sydney Morning Herald, the Wolf (played by Johnny Depp) should have had a stronger presence. The Wolf is very offbeat and sly, and Depp portrays him in such a charismatic manner. Meanwhile, Streep really has a remarkable presence and graces the screen in her role as the Witch. I just can’t help wondering how fun and witty it would have been if these two villainous characters had interacted and even shared a musical number while being at loggerheads. It’s a shame this doesn’t happen.
But for all it’s worth, moviegoers are indeed going to fall in love with all the characters who journey into the woods, undergoing transformation even though there’s a lack of serendipity. Into The Woods is no ordinary fairytale, and as far as fairytales go, what more could you want than that?
