Review of Into the Woods (2014) by Thetaboosun — 27 Jan 2015

I am not going to say this was the worst movie I have ever seen, because at no point was I compelled to walk out on it. However, I am going to have to negate most of the posts praising the cast for good acting.

I do not think it is necessarily her fault (I blame the director), but Lilla Crawford as Little Red Riding Hood was unbearable to watch. She appeared as a soulless singing robot - like a jukebox with legs.

Then again, so did many of the characters. Meryl Streep's performance was missing something. I have seen community theatre performances with a more lively and captivating witch. That being said, the movie missed the opportunity to make Prince Charming and the Wolf the same person, which I have seen a number of times on stage, which adds a layer of complexity.

Instead they threw a dumptruck full of money at Johnny Depp for a three minute scene prominently featured in the preview to get unsuspecting movie goers into the chairs. James Corden was by far the most interesting person to watch in this movie and Tracy Ullman as Jack's Mother was fun.

If you have seen Into the Woods on stage, you will be disappointed. If you are not a die hard fan of musicals, you will be disappointed. If you ARE a die hard fan of musicals, but somehow missed Into the Woods, you will still be disappointed.

Go watch a bunch of nobodies do this on stage, and I can almost guarantee it will be more captivating.