The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)

My Review

“The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” is a Christmas fantasy film about a young girl who goes in search of a key to an egg-shaped box she received as a Christmas present. The movie is beautifully filmed with lush holiday decorations and stunning snowy scenery but has the handicap of a muddled plot and poor writing. Just plain boring.

The Walt Disney Company’s decision to switch directors is undoubtedly one cause of “Realms” poor quality. Swedish director Lasse Hallstrom was replaced by Joe Johnston (“Jurassic Park III” 2001) to direct a month of reshoots. In an additional flaw, the confusing screenplay was penned by Ashleigh Powell and Tom McCarthy.

The cast includes Mackenzie Foy, Keira Knightly, Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman, Eugenio Derbez, Richard E. Grant, Misty Copeland, Matthew Macfadyen, Jack Whitehall, and Gustavo Dudamel. “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” was a box office bomb for Walt Disney Pictures, The Mark Gordon Company, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, and The Walt Disney Company. It was filmed in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.