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.

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.

In the Victorian England, the teenager Clara (Mackenzie Foy) is a young scientist that lives with her older sister Louise (Ellie Bamber), her younger brother Fritz (Tom Sweet) and her widower father Mr. Stahlbaum (Matthew Macfadyen). The family misses their mother and wife Marie Stahlbaum (Anna Madeley), who was also a scientist and has recently passed away. On the Christmas Eve, Mr. Stahlbaum delivers a gift left by Marie for each sibling and Clara receives an egg-shaped locked box without a key to open it. The family goes to the ball promoted by Clara's godfather Drosselmeyer (Morgan Freeman), who is also a man of science, to spend the night and she asks for the key to him. When Mr. Drosselmeyer delivers his gifts for each child he is hosting, Clara crosses the boundary of a world created by her mother, where Clara is a princess, and ruled by the regents of the realms Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers, and Land of Sweets that protect them from Mother Ginger (Helen Mirren), who is the tyrant of the Fourth Realm in the beginning of an adventure full of fantasy and betrayal.

"The Nutcracker and the Four Realms" is a beautiful family entertainment for children. The cinematography and CGI are amazing and will certainly satisfy the target audience. The cast has names such as Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman and Keira Knightley, but the lead actress Mackenzie Foy is weak. Unfortunately, the story is silly for adults, and the film does not have any heart. Lasse Hallström is a magnificent director, but this movie is bureaucratic and shows no emotion. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "O Quebra-Nozes e os Quatro Reinos" ("The Nutcracker and the Four Realms")

Greetings again from the darkness. Missing: Tchaikovsky and Ballet. OK, not missing entirely, and it seems all we do is beg for creativity and new approaches in movies, so let's give this one fair treatment. It's not the traditional "Nutcracker" holiday fare you've come to expect on stage, on TV, in the mall, at schools, and just about everywhere. Instead, it's a version wrung from both the 1816 original short story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" by E.T.A. Hoffman and the 1892 ballet by Marius Petipa with music from Tchaikovsky, yet also something quite different. Still, different doesn't always mean better ... sometimes it just means different.

We are treated to a beautiful extended opening shot as an owl swoops through old London. This acts as preparation for the abundance of stunning visuals headed our way throughout. Budding star Mackenzie Foy (INTERSTELLAR, 2014) plays Clara Stahlbaum, a young girl distraught that it's her first Christmas without her beloved mother Marie, who recently passed away. Clara's quietly grieving father (Matthew Macfadyen) delivers the presents Marie left for each of the three kids. Mechanically inclined Clara's gift is an ornate egg that requires a specialty key to unlock the hidden message Clara believes her mother has left.

A lavish Christmas party at her Godfather's (Oscar winner Morgan Freeman) mansion leads Clara to a parallel universe where her mother Marie was Queen of the four realms. This is a fantastical land that reminds (maybe a bit too much) of Tim Burton's ALICE IN WONDERLAND and the classic THE WIZARD OF OZ. Clara buddies up with a live Nutcracker soldier Phillip (newcomer Jayden Fowora-Knight), who quickly becomes her trusted bodyguard. Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers, Land of Sweets, and the blighted Fourth Realm run by a cast-out Mother Ginger (Oscar winner Helen Mirren) make up this world. Keira Knightley stars as the Sugar Plum Fairy, and her devilishly fun performance is responsible for most of the energy, humor and entertainment outside of the visual effects. The two time Oscar nominee seems to relish the voice, the costumes and the chance to play a quirky character.

Disney touches like the animal sidekicks are noted: Phillip's loyal steed, and the pesky little mouse that flashes more personality than anyone in the film outside of Sugar Plum. Most of the comedic secondary characters (including Richard E Grant and Eugenio Derbez) fall flat with very little do in a screenplay from Ashleigh Powell that gives the impression of multiple hands in the pie. Adding to the disjointed feel and lack of cohesion in the story flow is the fact that two very different directors worked on the project. Lasse Hallstrom (CHOCOLAT) handled principal photography and then Joe Johnston (CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER) spent a month on re-shoots with attention to visual effects. The contrasts between these two directors is quite clear in the finished project despite the cinematographer of Oscar winner Linus Sandgren (LA LA LAND).

The mishmash of styles and tone prevents us from ever really connecting with characters or being drawn in by the story, but beyond that, there are some really terrific visuals and special effects. I especially liked the look of the enhanced tin soldiers and the work of two time Oscar winning costume designer Jenny Beavan. Of course, this is a familiar story and many viewers bring certain expectations into the theatre with them. The iconic Tchaikovsky music is played early and throughout the film, though mostly in teases and in blends with new music from James Newton Howard. We do get a glimpse of Maestro Gustavo Dudamel conducting the orchestra, and for those expecting ballet, the fabulous Misty Copeland performs a couple of times, though it's likely not enough for those hoping for more of a ballet production. The end result is an impressive visual experience that will likely still disappoint those looking for another holiday watching tradition.

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

Yes this borrowed a lot from lion the witch and the wardrobe and alice in wonderland, but it's a kids film. I find reviews in here for kids films rod9culous. Do kids like it? Yes. At least my daughter did. Then it is good. As an adult it inspired the sense of wonder that drew me to the fantasy genre as a child. I loved the world even if the concept was somewhat old. The story itself was simple and reused, but so was avatar. Sometimes the old ones are the best.

This movie was clearly made for children and adults who are still a child at heart. It's sad to read in these reviews how many of you seem to have lost that inner child. I think many who gave negative reviews also expected the film to be a movie of the ballet adhering exactly to the story but it doesn't which is not a bad thing because The Nutcracker Suit is probably one of the best know ballet in the world so giving it a bit of a rewrite gives it a new look. This is a genuine family movie suitable for all, which is somewhat of a rarity these days. The story was good, the acting was excellent. Just one last thing this film started showing at my local cinema well before Christmas it's now February and they are still running it. Could this be because contrary to the poor reviews here there are plenty of people who are loving it

At its attempt to be unique and edgy, the creators made a film that is real cheesy, at times boring, predictable, and unnecessarily dramatic in the choice of music and manner with which particular characters responded to each other.

I was very disappointed because I love the story of the Nutcracker. This adaptation really tanked.

Honestly, where to start with this beautiful travesty? Despite boasting a stellar talent and cast with the likes of Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley, and Morgan Freeman, this cinematic endeavor turns out to be an unholy and misguided collaboration, and points to everything wrong about this terrible and miscalculated adaptation.

First, the tone and the quality is clearly a rip-off to the other fantasy films that preceded it, such as the 2010 version of Alice in Wonderland, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Wizard of Oz. The script is totally cliched, muddled, confusing, and convoluted, given the fact that the screenwriter of this film who is just a first-time inexperienced screenwriter, has no idea on how to blend well fantasy with other genres such as drama and adventure. Also, this film has major inconsistencies within the plot and are incoherent. Even the additional writing of Tom McCarthy is giving no redeemable favors. Even the dialogue is bland, boring, and flat. Much of the character development is also non-existent, and the characters itself are half-baked and dreadfully written. Another issue that this film have is the cheesy and campy tone that almost draws negative similarities with bad movies that have these similar qualities such as Batman & Robin, and 2003 adaptation of The Cat in the Hat.

Second, the acting is totally flat and atrocious. Despite Mackenzie Foy's very considerable effort in bringing depth to her performance, it simply resembled as uninspiring, flat, boring, and mediocre. Morgan Freeman and Helen Mirren have given a flat and terribly phoned-it-in performances, which is a major disappointment considering the two acting legends are one of the most exceptional and versatile acting talents in the acting business, and their performances are simply nothing but paycheck roles. Even Keira Knightley's performance is far from being terribly wasted, it's simply the worst. From the terribly yet laughable and cartoonish voice, monotone, and mannerisms that draws unfavorable comparisons to Helena Bonham Carter's whimsical style, this type of acting style does not work on Kiera Knightley's filmography and she's better off on handling roles of usual dramatic leading ladies of literature. Even the performances of Matthew Macfadyen, Misty Copeland, Eugenio Derbez and Richard E. Grant are simply useless and wasted.

Third, despite its stellar yet remarkable costumes, the production design, and the musical score; these aren't enough to redeem this fantasy misfire. It's just style over substance. Even the green screen within the film is terribly noticeable and the CGI is distracting. Worse, the film is hollow, bloated, flat, and soulless. It lacks the magic, charm, heart, and soul that the other superior Disney live-action fantasy films such as Into the Woods, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book, Pete's Dragon and Christopher Robin, possesses. Even Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent which had a weak story, still had the same characteristics and are at least guilty-pleasure and redeemable. This film on the other hand is irredeemable from start to finish. It gets points for diversity but just like the ill-fated A Wrinkle in Time, much of its great ambition just falls flat and is arguably can be spelled as a disaster.

This is no doubt considered as one of Disney's worst fantasy film in many decades, and also a runner-up of the worst Nutcracker adaptation behind the abominable The Nutcracker the Untold story or The Nutcracker in 3D. Also, it's also considered one of this year's worst and disappointing films.

Disney trashed the original Nutcracker story and tried to force the now inevitable politically correct propaganda down our throats once again - only this time they have gone way too far. Leave our culture and our heritage alone.

I mean, This movies doesn't have the most elaborate of stories, but if you go in expecting a cute princessy disneysy christmas story, you won't be THAT disapointed. The visuals are stunning, and so is Mackenzie Foy (I feel like they knew that, because there were lots of shots of her face). Her acting was adequate, and this movies doesn't lack big names.

Overall, if you're like me and like seeing movies that are treats to the eyes, then don't let all the negative reviews stop you from watching it.

Okay, look, I didn't expect much from this movie, but wow... where do I start?, well I can say the movie looked okay from the trailers, so there's that and it has a fantastic cast too, so they might add some good luck to this movie, but besides that, just looks like a Alice in Wonderland spin off or something, so I went in with little expectation.... well there might be some promise for this, after the charming Christopher Robin, there might some potential to this movie, so then I saw the movie on the third of November, the day after it was released and............ wow this was bad...., like reeeeeaaaally baaad, but let's talk about it.

The plot is about a girl named Clara (Mackenzie Foy) who received a present from her late mother, didn't come with a key, so she'll have to find it, might have something important for her, but since she and her family went to Drosselmeyer's (Morgan Freeman) place for a annual holiday party, Clara must find out what's in her present, but his father warns her not to wonder off since he wants one dance with her, but she ends up in a magical kingdom surrounded by snow, candy, sweets and a nutcracker named Philip (Jayden Fowora-Knight) who accompanies her on her journey to defeat the evil Mother Ginger who wants to take over the kingdom, I'll just leave it there, I know there's more to it but it would involve spoilers but really.... who cares?..... this plot is just exactly like Alice in Wonderland, only it's 10 times worse, it's really cliched and easily predicable, like you know what will happen, but as it unfolds, it starts to become clear that no-one at Disney cares about clever and original movie with clever and witty writing, but they just wanted to release the movie around November, trying to make it a rushed cash in and yeeeeah that's what we got here, the humour is also not very good, tries to be funny and has that "pause moment waiting for the audience to laugh" cliche and that's not funny either, in fact, i didn't laugh or cracked a smile once, I was mostly bored and I wanted it to end, the movie does try to have some heart but again..... who cares and it's so damn manipulative, so yeah the writing sucks and it's not all that original, this is Disney's laziest writing yet.

The visuals are one of the few only decent things about this movie, it looks nice, it's very well shot for the most part, the kingdom looks very colourful, the SugarPlum costume looks very good and beautiful and some of It's CGI is okay-ish..., okay, that's all the pros, now the cons, the visuals look really bland and really nothing special, again just looks like Alice in Wonderland, it can also be a very cheap looking film, along with some ridiculous looking costumes, like really silly looking, the CGI is really bad especially on the Toy Soldiers and the Mice, it never feels believable or real, it feels like a visually tired and dull experience, again it does look nice and it a tad bit colourful, but it's not enough to say the visuals are good, in fact they are pretty un special and not very impressive.

The characters are really forgettable and very dull, I don't not have one favourite character in this movie which is a huge shame, Clara is such a generic hero and kind of a annoying and overdramatic brat, the Nutcracker is boring, Drosselmeyer is just Morgan Freeman playing... Morgan Freeman, Mother Ginger (Helen Mirren) is a joke, Cavalier (Omid Djalili) and Harlequin (Jack Whitehall) are really annoying, the SugarPlum is irritating, Shiver doesn't do much and Clara's family are kind of unlikable yup, so is the acting, it's super dull and not very memorable, the only one who is actually good is Mackenzie Foy, she does try and for the most part I think she is good, she's a lovely looking actress, she can do a good British accent and she does try and does succeed, everyone else I feel sorry for, these people are really damn good, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Keira Knightly, Richard E. Grant, Jack Whitehall, Omid Djalili, come on guys..... you are better then this, all of their performances are really just them playing themselves and it's really sad and hard to watch, not only are the characters super dull and not all that memorable, but most of the performances are really not that memorable and are just a joke.

So yeah... this movie is not only a awful movie, but this is easily the worst Disney Live-Action movie..... yes even worse .. but we don't talk about that, lazy writing with a predicable plot, visually dull and cheap looking Effects, characters that are forgettable and dull stereotypes, with bad acting, granted the visuals can look nice at times, Mackenzie Foy is the only one putting on a good performance and Jame-Newton Howard's score is a delight, but that's not enough to save this train-wreck of a movie, I'm not exaggerating when I say it's one of the worst movies of the year and one of the worst movies of all time...... yes I just said that......, I don't recommend this movie at all, sure kids might enjoy it, but I barley got any joy at all, and even the screening I went to with not many people, I didn't hear any laughs or enjoyment from them, it's THAT bad..., so yeah avoid this at all times, if you want a good kids/family Goosebumps 2 and Smallfoot are worth a watch..... or wait till the Grinch comes out.

I'm going to give this garbage of a film 1.2/10.

This movie has the same problem that plagued Beauty and the Beast 2017 and Alice through the looking glass. Yes, it looks good. Yes, it kinda entertains. And yes, it´s not a god awful movie to sit through.

But it´s predictable and cliched to the point where no ammount of red herrings can fool and no ammount of fake thrill can make you excited. And worse of all, it has no heart, no emotion, no motivation. There´s nothing memorable or endearing.

The character are not characters, they are bland plot devices (Clara and the Nutecracker), glorified and irrelevant extras (like it sadly happens with the Flower king and the king of the land of snowflakes) or just swift cameos ( Morgan Freeman and Mother Gingerbread). The have no dimension, no porpuse, nothing that coud make the audience care about what happens to them or the story.

This is by war thebiggest flaw of the movie.

Why would the audience care about a movie when its characters are so boring and dull?

To add to its non existent characterization, the world building is just as awful.

You never get to explore this world, to know its habitants. It feels like a superficial tour where the guide doesn´t even bother to explain what is happening, or why you should care about what you are seeing. You get to point A to point B and finally to point C, only to get thrown out of the bus without the chance to ask what the hell just happened.

This is a lazy cluster of a mess, an empty husk devoid of anything resembling human emotion.

I´m actually amazed someone was paid to write this thing. I´ve seen works online made by fans that are far better in both narrative structure and characterization.

What a shame. You can actually see the potential this idea once had.

The trailers for "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms" gave me an "Alice in Wonderland" (2010) vibe, giving me very low expectations because I hated that Tim Burton film. Alas, the end product was way better thanks to a better script, story, actors and CGI

Copeland provides a perfect example of why some classics shouldn't be messed with, even when you think you have something fresh to contribute. The film attempts to upend your expectations of the story, but each and every revelation or twist falls completely flat.

"The Nutcracker" simply took tropes, character traits, and plot points from other movies that no one asked to relive, including "The Chronicles of Narnia," "Alice in Wonderland," "Peter Pan" - and, weirdly enough, "The Santa Clause 2."

The film offers two major scenes, ostensibly meant to serve as emotional anchors, as moments of growth or self-realisation. But they're so painfully cliché - don't be surprised if both cause the adults in the audience to laugh out loud.

It seems that Helen Mirren, as pseudo-villain Mother Ginger, and Morgan Freeman, as Clara's mysterious godfather Drosselmeyer, are simply thrown in to make the film more intriguing to older audiences. It doesn't work.

It also complicates the film itself: Was it made for children? Families? Fantasy buffs? Adventure enthusiasts? It's unclear.

I almost feel bad trashing (what I take to essentially be) a kids' movie with perfectly likable 17-year-old lead, but there's just no reason why this adaptation should exist.

It feels like even children - especially in this era of on-demand entertainment and content saturation - will find the film annoying and predictable. Its recycled plot, garish costume design, and half-hearted callbacks to the original add nothing to the beloved story of "The Nutcracker." You'd be far better off watching the ballet again.

This movie was delightfully weird and wonderful, and absolutely stunning, visually.

It is NOT the story of the girl in the original Nutcracker story; rather, it is the story of one of her daughters. If people go into this movie expecting the original Nutcracker, they will likely end up disappointed; head into it with an open mind and the knowledge that this is a different story altogether, and you might just enjoy it as much as I did!

Ive never seen the ballet. never read the original story that was changed greatly for the ballet, so ive read. i enjoyed what i saw, it was fun even if not completely original. a hint of battle droids and a somewhat cliched hidden betrayal story. my only complaint, it should have been longer. about 30 minutes longer. it felt a over edited, maybe to keep the kids from getting bored. this isnt just a kids movie. it kept me from really getting into it more than i did. it looks great and is acted great. i enjoyed everything i saw, just wish there was more to see.

First off the acting was terrible . Thank god morgan freeman and Helen were on it even though they were really only in it for maybe 5 min each. Kiera was meh but the main girl her family and the nutcracker captain were terrible. It was like watching a horrible Junior high play .the special effects weren't even good you could tell it was green screened a lot of the time. The makeup looked like it was done by a two year old. I mean I wasn't expecting a ton out of this film and still was very very disappointed .. don't bother if you were thinking of going .

Imagine you're at a funeral. You see the person in the coffin, all prettied up with makeup, and they look great. But they are also lifeless and dead. And even with all the makeup on them, you still know there is no soul there. Congratulations, you've now seen THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS.

But God, I wish this was just a lifeless movie. It's also bland, boring, poorly written, cheesy, predictable as hell, and did I say boring? There are two things that were good in this movie: the music and the production design/the look of the movie. But, they didn't write this music (obviously) and even while the movie looked great, you just could tell almost everything was fake.

I had no expectations of this movie being good, but what I wasn't expecting was how apparent it would be that nobody behind this movie had any passion with this idea. You can almost guarantee nobody came to them with a dream idea for a movie, somebody approached someone else and said "Make a Nutcracker movie." Which is fine, but damn put some effort in it.

Ugh.