Into the Woods (2014) - Movie Review
Now that those two things are out there, let's talk about this film. I knew from the second that Disney picked up this project that it had enormous potential. They, more so than any other studio, have done musical fairy tales right almost every time they make one. When the cast list started rolling out, I became even more excited for Into the Woods. Bringing in heavyweight talents like Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt instantly brought some credibility, while the musical talents of Anna Kendrick and others would bolster the film in that perspective. Then, my school's drama department announced that this would be our spring musical, I knew I had to go see it.
From the very first line, I knew that the music would be done justice. The score was written by the original composer of Into the Woods, Stephen Sondheim, and all cuts, changes, and otherwise were approved by him and his co-writer James Lapine. The music of Into the Woods has a very unique feel with its constant syncopation and rhythm that has an endless charm and is instantly infectious. The singing by the cast is excellent. Most of them I had no idea could sing in any way, shape, or form; but all of them blew me away. Especially considering the fact that these for the most part are all studio-recorded vocals, I was very surprised that they had nearly the same level of emotion and feeling behind them as the live vocals of the film adaptation of Les Miserables done two years ago.
This emotion is also reflected outside of the musical numbers by the cast's perfomances; however, to save some time I will only focus on three: Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Chris Pine. Meryl Streep is drop-dead amazing as the Witch and is instantly my favorite to win Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars this year due to her combination of humor, sentiment, and just plain wackiness throughout the film. Emily Blunt as the Baker's Wife adequately balances the mixed emotions she has throughout the film, especially in its second act, while all the while remaining composed and never going over the top. However, restraint is not something I can accuse Chris Pine of in his role of Cinderella's Prince. He steals every single scene he is in with his bombast, arrogance, and charm and quite honestly, along with Billy Magnussen as Rapunzel's Prince, made "Agony" one of my favorite scenes in film this year.
The plot of Into the Woods also carries enough emotion throughout to make a satisfying film. The first act definitely is the more light-hearted of the two and feels more "Disney" than the second, which darkens the films tone dramatically. However, that second act (which I won't spoil for you here) changes the film from a "happily-ever-after" movie to a "the-end-doesn't-always-justify-the-means" one. I love this, as it makes what is seemingly innocent family entertainment have a deep emotional message that can resonate with the older crowd.
Rob Marshall's direction is also spot-on here. I have never seen a film of his before, but knowing how well-received Chicago was eased my mind going into this movie. He nailed every single aspect of Into the Woods, retaining its fantasy feel for the audience while creating a dark aesthetic for his actors to play around in. Nothing feels out of place or off in any way, which is undoubtedly a direct result of his close collaboration with Sondheim and Lapine throughout the production process. I think that Marshall understands almost more than anyone that to make a good movie out of a musical you have to work with both the fans' desires and the change of medium. Yes, he did cut one or two of the better songs from the show (including "No More"), but I didn't really think that it changed the heart of the show.
Overall, Into the Woods is a fantastic adaptation of the stage musical to the screen. It retains the tone and overall feel of the Broadway show while adding a lot of cinematic value through its acting and Rob Marshall's direction. This is one of my favorite live-action movie musicals ever made and one of my favorite films of this year. Into the Woods is a delight to watch for every person of every age and is a different enough film to stand out in the Disney canon over time.
Rating: 9/10
Summary: Visually impressive direction from Rob Marshall and some great performances from Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Chris Pine carry the dark tone and beautiful music of Into the Woods perfectly onto the big screen.
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