Red Sparrow Is A Slow-Paced Yet Interesting Spy Thriller Elevated by Jennifer Lawrence Performance

   The spy film genre has long been a main source in which Hollywood consistently turns to in order to produce guaranteed and consistent commercial success, as the genre is appealing in terms of delivering action, suspense, and star power with those playing the main characters. When it comes to making a successful spy thriller, the key is to take a genre, that while being successful can also come across as feeling a tad generic, and bring something new to the table in regards to both concept and storytelling. With Red Sparrow, the film was always going to rely on strong directing, writing, and a strong female actress who can bring the main character to life while making the audience engaged in her journey. Following Atomic Blonde's critical and financial success, Red Sparrow aims for similar results with Jennifer Lawrence placed in the main role of a ballerina dancer turned female spy, who ultimately uses her body as a weapon. Lawrence's performance is strong enough to lift the film above being a mediocre to an entertaining yet somewhat disappointing entry in the popular genre. When her character is on the screen, the film thrives and aims for it's full potential. When she's absent, the film struggles to regain the same momentum and impact.

      Based on the bestselling 2013 Jason Matthews novel of the same name, the plot for Red Sparrow centers around a top Russian ballerina Dominika Egorova (Played by Jennifer Lawrence), who ends up suffering a career-ending injury and ends up being recruited into the secret corps of Sparrow Operatives, a school and Russian intelligence service where both men and women are trained to seduce enemy agents as they extract intelligence from them. The mission that's given to the ballerina includes targeting a CIA agent, who turns out to not be easily swayed with the mission threatening to unravel the security of both nations. Based on a best-selling novel, Red Sparrow is a spy film that has both promise and potential to be something fresh and exciting on the big screen. The overall execution of the film works mainly because of Jennifer Lawrence's strong performance in the main role, as well as the films intriguing plot and slick cinematography. The plot is interesting enough to keep audiences watching, but the film carries with it a slow pace that can make the whole ordeal feel tedious at times, as well as confusing in regards to what's happening within the story. What elevates the film to being a serviceable and decent spy thriller is the strong performances from the main cast, that helps bring the source material to life in a fashion that's entertaining and suspenseful despite the films pacing issues. The film also suffers from character development issues as side characters aren't fully fleshed out enough for the audience to become connected with besides Jennifer Lawrence's character.

      One of the key elements that makes Red Sparrow an effective thriller are the performances from the main cast, which often range from being strong to highly effective. Jennifer Lawrence is captivating and impressive in the main role of Dominika, with her believably showing her characters transformation from ballerina to an alluring spy, whose not only good at reading people but successfully seduces her targets. When her character is on the screen, the audience is engaged and anxiously waits to see what's in store for her character in the following scenes, particularly the ones where she's training in the school. Joel Edgerton does a solid job playing the American CIA agent Nathanial Nash whom Dominika is targeting. Edgerton does a solid job in making his character interesting enough to hold the audience interest when Lawrence isn't on the screen along with sharing chemistry together when the duo are on the screen. Jeremy Irons role is minimal but he does the best with the material he's given, and leaves an impression when on the screen playing General Vladimir Andreievich Korchnoi. The same is said for Matthias Schoenaerts in the role of Ivan Vladimirovich Egorov, Dominika's uncle and Deputy Director of the SVR. Other noteworthy supporting roles are Charlotte Rampling, the headmistress of the school, Mary Louise Parker as Stephanie Boucher, Chief of Staff to a U.S Senator, and Joely Richardson as Dominika's mother, Nina Egorova. Overall, the cast as a whole is strong and deliver performances that help keep the movie afloat in terms of delivering suspense when the pacing becomes an issue and character development with the exception of Lawrence character is minimal. As the film demonstrates, this is Dominika's show with her managing to carry the film on her shoulders with her convincing and effective performance.

      In terms of the films directing, The Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence reteams with his main star to craft an interesting yet slow-building Russian spy thriller. Having worked with Lawrence before previously on The Hunger Games series, Lawrence is familiar with her talents, giving her creative freedom to play the part, while shaping the rest of the story around her character to fully utilize her talents. Lawrence directs the film with a slick style, that effectively creates a dark atmosphere full of tension and mystery to go with the main plot. The films use of sexuality both as a weapon as well as a form of seduction, are handled tastefully with the graphic scenes of nudity being effectively used in the plot, particularly the scenes involving rape and torture. There isn't a moment of nudity or a sex scene shown, that doesn't feel relevant to the plot. The films technical aspects are where it truly shines with the film boasting beautiful cinematography, art-set decoration, and costume design, that makes it feel like a page out of a spy novel brought to life. Despite the films extremely slow pacing, the performances, directing, and production qualities are enough to elevate it into a compelling spy thriller with a strong music score from James Newton Howard.

     The films screenplay by Justin Hayte is effective though warrants much of the films criticism towards its slow pacing. Whereas the script does a solid job of focusing the story around Jennifer Lawrence's character, the rest of the cast receives minimal development, ultimately making their characters feel generic and only there to serve the story despite the strong performances from the cast. The character development in the film feels rather thin and uninspired (Joel Edgerton's character is effective though feels like he only comes alive when his character is meant to assist or fall for Dominika's character. There is no real growth with his character or story arc like Lawrence's), though the themes of the movie which include Russian spies, double agents, CIA operations, seduction, rape, incest, lies secrets, trust, love, relationships, loyalty, and patriotism are brilliantly and effectively portrayed here. This is a story about two superpowers fighting it out with the inclusion of post Cold War era psychological warfare as well as the doubling down of intelligence services. The story is full of brutality, violence, and sexuality with Dominika's character having a strong and believable transformation from maiden to Russian agent using her feminine strengths to impressive effects. The violence isn't glorified and the use of sex and nudity in the story is used as a tool to drive the suspense and intensity of the story to maximum effect. The films twists and turns with the plot work well, particularly the films opening sequence that's effective yet shocking in terms of showing one's hopes being shattered. It is a brutal sequence yet one that begins Dominika's journey down a dark and complexed path. The film shows her character struggling with whom to trust as she fights back against family. as well as people pretending to be friends, and sexists. In a genre that is big on storylines pertaining to deceit and personal loyalty, Red Sparrow does a solid though not perfect job of presenting a story in which the audience as well as the main character questions who in the story is deceiving without the plot being too complexed. The script does suffer from overlapping issues with a few moments being confusing, but the bulk of the story is relatively straight-forward and engaging to watch if one has the patience to handle the films slow pacing.

      In the end, Red Sparrow is an appealing spy thriller that's flawed and won't be enjoyed by everyone. Some audiences will be turned off  by the films slow pacing, while others will take issue with the lack of character development. The best thing that the film has going for it is the director giving Lawrence the opportunity to command the screen, as well as showcase her talent for the part. It also helps that the plot is rather interesting and has enough momentum to keep audiences interested, though the pacing and lack of character development with the side characters unquestionably becomes an issue. In an era where Hollywood is being dominated by numerous high profile sequels, remakes, reboots, and comic book movies, it's refreshing and noble to see a different and original story hit the big screen in a way that brings shock value in terms of it's tone, and doesn't apologize for it because it fits the context of the story. Red Sparrow is a flawed yet entertaining thriller, that knows what it wants to be and delivers on it's promise to entertain as well as compel its audience. The film takes risks and pushes boundaries, which is something that isn't seen much in today's form of Hollywood filmmaking. The film is no Atomic Blonde in terms of delivering highly stylized action and a quick plot, but has enough moments of intensity as well as graphic violence to make the film worth watching. If anything else, Lawrence's performance alone makes it worthwhile.

Final Verdict: For those who are fans of spy and espionage thrillers, Red Sparrow is worth a watch, though it isn't a great movie.

First Man Is A Powerful And Absorbing Drama In Showing One Mans Desire To Achieve The Impossible

   

        When one thinks of a compelling space movie, Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity comes to mind. When one thinks of a well-executed biographical space drama, that's only thrilling but transports audiences into space and putting them in the moment, Ron Howard's Apollo 13 is the film that best matches that description. With First Man, La La Land director Damien Chazelle and Ryan Gosling prefer to take things in a more personal direction with the film focusing on the life of Neil Armstrong, as well as showing the journey towards setting foot on the Moon with rigorous training that Armstrong and other Astronauts endured which included tragic misfires. Although designed to be a biographical drama, Chazelle and Gosling craft this film to feel like an experience for the audience to become apart of in showing a more personal journey towards landing on the moon. Originally was set to be directed by Clint Eastwood, the project landed in the hands of Damien Chazelle, who later casted Gosling in the lead role after working together on La La Land. Despite the film receiving critical acclaim for numerous aspects of its production such as the directing, the performances, the score, and breathtaking moon landing sequence, the movie ended up being a commercial disappointment grossing just $105 million worldwide and sparking further controversy regarding the film not showing the planting of the U.S flag on the moons lunar surface, prompting audiences to question the films political motives. The film was ultimately nominated for four Academy Awards which included Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, Best Production Design, and Best Sound Mixing. Despite the movies disappointing box office return and controversy, First Man is a well put together and emotional experience as the film shows the landing on the Moon from a more personal perspective, which is that of the man that set foot on it.

      Based on the bestselling book by James R. Hansen, First Man focuses on the life of astronaut Neil Armstrong with the film serving as a chronicle of his journey to the Moon with the film also exploring the NASA program, which helped pull off the extraordinary human achievement that took place on July 20th, 1969. This is Neil Armstrong's story and the film shows his journey into traveling to space to be one that's amazing, powerful, heartbreaking, and ultimately a triumphant moment for those involved. First Man is not just any typical biographical drama, its an experience that the audience becomes invested in if they have the patience for the films slow pacing. The films story is not fast moving in any sense and works as being a slow-burner in terms of setting up the characters, and showing the rigorous efforts NASA put into whats arguably one of its most defining moments. With First Man, audiences get to not just relive seeing man walk on the Moon, but get to know Neil Armstrong on a more personal level. From the start, Armstrong is shown to be a sympathetic American figure who turns personal loss and imagination into the ultimate determination to see his goal as well as NASA's become a reality. The filmmakers make a point in stressing that Armstrong's action is ultimately a brave and remarkable one as he see's first hand the consequences of what could happen if things go wrong, and the mission backfires as evidenced through the loss of the other Astronauts in the film. The building up of the side characters in the film, particularly the Astronauts associated with Armstrong who end up dying during training, are rightfully explored to show that despite the tragedy that occurs within the story with their characters, it makes Armstrong's willingness to finish their journey a true act of heroism, as well as a desire to take mankind further out in terms of showing its capabilities. First Man is all about exploring the heart and soul of its main character, as well as showing what a complicated and ultimately incredible decision it was that was made to go into outer space when knowing the full dangers and consequences of doing so. The film also gives a glimpse into Armstrong's family life by showing his wife, played brilliantly by Claire Foy, fear for her husbands life as he gets more engulfed with his training.

      As far as the acting performances go, the cast behind First Man does an amazing job and all bring believability to their parts with the best performances easily coming from Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy (Who was wrongfully snubbed of an Oscar nomination). Gosling gives a strong performance as Neil Armstrong, portraying him as a man who desires to reach for the stars while experiencing the loss of friends and loved ones along the way. His depiction of Armstrong is an intimate portrayal with Gosling masterfully conveying the toll, that the training for the mission takes on his character. Claire Foy does an equally great job playing Armstrong's wife Janet Armstrong. Much like Kathleen Quinlan's performance in Apollo 13, Foy gives an impressive yet understated performance as she takes the cliched subplot involving the wife stuck at home and forced to listen to audio recordings of her husbands test missions or pieces of news she receives that happens in many space dramas and runs with it. Foy doesn't act in Goslings shadow, instead she meets him head on and delivers an equally great performance, that should've warranted an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. One of her most impressive acting moments is a sequence in which her character begins to lose it when the audio goes out during her husbands test run for landing on the Moon. Making the decision to spare Armstrong's family of any further pain or stress given the intensity and struggle of the training, NASA decides to cut her out of the loop in terms of receiving news. Fed up and not having anymore of it, Janet storms over to NASA's Houston base and delivers a piece of her mind to NASA's Director Of Flight Operations Deke Slayton (Played by Kyle Chandler). Unleashing tears of rage and frustration over the mission, she shouts "All these protocols and procedures to make it seem like you have it under control. But you're a bunch of boys making models out of balsa wood. You don't have anything under control!" Foy and Gosling work great together, not only sharing chemistry but easily delivering the two strongest performances in the film. House Of Cards Corey Stoll shines as Buzz Aldrin, as well as the always reliable Kyle Chandler as Deke Slayton, and Terminator Genisys and Pet Semetary's Jason Clarke as fallen Astronaut Ed White. Clark's character has the most significant arc out of the three as his real life character is used as a device to enhance both the fear and stress that the Armstrong family carries over the mission, especially the devastating twist that comes later involving his character. Other notable supporting roles are Lukas Haas as Mike Collins and Patrick Fugit as Elliot See Overall, the cast as a whole does a fantastic job of bringing their real life counterparts to life, and adding both believability and tension to a story about mankind stepping out of its comfort zone and extending it's reach in terms of it's capabilities.

        The directing by Damien Chazelle is well-executed and effective in terms of bringing Armstrong's story to the big screen. He utilizes beautiful yet vivid cinematography, that captures the emotions on the actors faces while putting the audience directly in the scene. The continuous use of shaky camera adds to the realism of the scenes as Chazelle chooses to allow the actors and the scene do the work themselves. The moments where it shows the astronauts training or the sequences in space are where the film hits it's technical stride. Given that the movie is a biographical space drama, Chazelle's approach to the films style of directing gives it an indie feel, which can be off putting for some who were expecting more of a space exploration film rather than a personal biographical drama. Chazelle succeeds at blending the two together and creating an experience for the audience that's moving, personal, and inspiring with the film showing the sacrifices made for mankind to pull off such a remarkable achievement. The films score by Justin Hurtwitz is one of the films main highlights, giving the films climactic sequence a majestic type feel while enhancing the drama during the films emotional scenes. The score is well deserving of it's Golden Globe win for Best Score, and is a shame it didn't receive an Oscar nomination for Best Score. The films visual and sound effects are top notch, making the moments in space (Particularly the films third act) worth sitting through the rest of the film for as the ultimate payoff feels grand, epic, and powerful. The films Moon landing sequence conveys a mixed batch of emotions, that makes it the overall sequence feel amazing with Hurtwitz's score to elevate it. Chazelle and the crew behind First Man go to extreme lengths to mark this sequence as not just being a momentous sequence in history, but also for the audience who saw the film in theaters.

      The screenplay by Josh Singer is well-written, earning it's title of being a piece of hard-hitting drama while giving insight into the process of getting Apollo 11 off the ground. Singer uses Armstrong's personal journey as a way to deliver fuel to the film with audiences seeing the moon landing through a lense, that makes it both relatable and more understandable. With Singers script, audiences feel the stress, the tension, the fear, and toll that the famous NASA mission took on those who fought (And in some cases died) to place a man on the moon. With Armstrong's arc, Singer makes a point to remind audiences that the Apollo 11 mission wasn't just a simple one, but demanded a huge level of bravery and sacrifice in order to make it successful. In regards to the films controversy regarding the lack of the American flag being placed on the moon, Singer doesn't craft the script in a way that flashes American patriotism in people's faces. The story does focus on America's race to beat the Russians to making it to the Moon first, but also makes it a point to drive home the theme that the Moon landing was an achievement not just for America, but for mankind as a whole. The film is also about showing mankind at the time being willing to step out of it's comfort zone and take a huge risk despite the public's confusion as to why so much money, resources, and attention is being used for the Apollo mission when there's plenty of issues on Earth that need tending to. The mission was used as a way to bring humanity together even if it was just for a moment to show that there is no limit to what mankind can accomplish if people come together. The film works hard to effectively erase the notion of a man landing on the Moon as being something that's routine and simple. That was not the case as director Chazelle, writer Singer, and lead actor Gosling show the strength, the sacrifice, and the courage that went into pulling off one of the 20th centuries most defining moments.

     Having said that, First Man is not for everyone. The film is a slow burner and will turn off some of those, who wish to check it out for the first time. For others, they will appreciate and admire the craftsmanship, the attention to detail, and the desire to deliver a more intimate portrait of the famous Moon landing through an emotional lense that audiences can connect with. What Armstrong did was no simple task, and deservingly earns his title of being a heroic figure in history. First Man is a fitting tribute to that bravery as well as recapturing a moment where mankind dared to test it's limits, and by doing so discovered that there aren't any to what it can accomplish. One of the best movies to come out in 2018 and deserves more recognition than what its received. If one has the patience to sit through this film, they will discover an experience that's moving, powerful, and inspiring with a reminder that humanity can have another moment like July 20th, 1969 again if it strikes for it. First Man is a brilliantly told and visually striking film, that's worth seeing for those who want to get a better understanding of the process that went into the Moon landing, and the toll it took on the souls of those who pushed for such a iconic moment to happen.

Final Verdict: For history buffs and those wanting to learn more about the Apollo 11 mission, First Man is a must see.

The Nutcracker And The Four Realms Is Rich In Style But Lacking In Substance

     

      In the case of all the films that came out in the fall of 2018, The Nutcracker And The Four Realms is an interesting case as the film can best be summed up as a misfire. What was originally intended to be a family-friendly fantasy adventure, that was hoped to become a box office smash hit in the same vein as Chronicles Of Narnia : The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrbobe and fill the void of the lack of a Disney Star Wars film last winter, The Nutcracker And The Four Realms ended up being a box office flop, grossing only $54 million domestically and $173 million worldwide on a $120 million budget. The film was also heavily panned by critics upon its release with criticisms aiming at the lack of dance routines and a strong enough story that should've transported audiences into another world, making the film itself appear to be hollow despite being visually appealing. Much like Ava DuVernay's A Wrinkle In Time, The Nutcracker And The Four Realm suffers a similar fate in terms of being both a critical and financial misfire with the actual film feeling like a mixed bag. While The Nutcracker And The Four Realms is not as terrible of a film as audiences are led to believe and even comes across as being charming and heartfelt at times, its story lacks the depth and emotional pull to really make it connect with audiences. It also suffers from being far too similar to other classic fantastical adventures such as The Wizard Of Oz, Alice In Wonderland, and Chronicles Of Narnia, that the film doesn't appear to have enough originality of its own to make it special outside of its visual appeal.

       Based on E.T.A Hoffman's classic short story titled "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" as well as Marius Petipa's and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker​, the plot for The Nutcracker And The Four Realms focuses on a young teenage girl (Played by Mackenzie For) searching for a key to a silver egg that contains a magical gift. While doing so, she ends up following a golden cord, leading to a mysterious parallel universe in which she meets a young soldier (Played by Jayden Fowor -Clark), a horde of mice and the regents who preside over three magical realms. Together the young girl and soldier enter a fourth dark realm to bring back the key, which contains the power to restore universal harmony. The plot for The Four Realms is an intriguing and promising one as it has the potential to make for a great fantasy​ adventure. The story has all the ingredients to make it connect with audiences such as a young female character that audiences can connect with and sympathize early on with her struggling to get past her mother's death, which is shown to affect her relationship with her father. The film feels like a holiday version of The Wizard Of Oz and Chronicles of Narnia rolled into one with a similar plot structure involving the young female character Clara Stahlbaum befriending a young African-American soldier named Philip, who ends up accompanying her on her journey in a style similar to Finn and Rey in The Force Awakens. Whereas the main characters have potential to be interesting, they come across as feeling generic and bland despite the good performances the actors deliver. The same can be said for Kiera Knightley's role as Sugarplum with her characters twist being seen a mile away despite the actress performance stealing the show. The biggest problem with The Nutcracker is not the films acting performances nor the visual structure of it, but how formulaic and routine it's story comes across as feeling. Outside of the movies visuals and technical elements, the film doesn't offer anything new in terms of breaking new ground in the storytelling department with the plots strongest elements already been seen before (And in most cases done better) in other fantasy films. What saves the film from completely falling to pieces is the charm, sincerity, and heart that the actors bring to the story as well as the majestical feel that directors Lasse Hallstrom and Joe Johnston brings to the screen, making The Nutcracker And The Four Realms a serviceable fantasy film that with the right improvements, could've been a great one.

      In terms of the films acting, the performances carry the film and help bring some much needed life to the story. The cast here is strong and does the best job they can of bringing enchantment and energy to to their roles. Mackenzie For is a great choice for the main role and does a very good job playing Clara as she believably conveys her characters strengths and vulnerabilities, while making her sympathetic to the audience. Jayden Fowor -Clark does an equally impressive job playing the young soldier, who befriends and aids Clara on her journey. Both work well off each other and show strong chemistry, making their characters likable and interesting to watch. Kiera Knightley's performance is over-the-top and can be hard to take seriously, but given the type of character she's playing, she does a solid job and makes the best of what she's given. She brings a sense of fun and wickedness to her character, almost feeling like an attempt to make up for the writings shortcomings. The same can be said for Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman in terms of giving their best with their minor roles. Considering how talented both actors are, one wishes they were giving more material to work with. Matthew Macfayden is effective as Clare's father Mr. Stahlbaum, though audiences don't get to experience much of his character to feel the pain he endures as he tries to maintain Christmas tradition with his kids without their mother present. Elle Bamber does well as Clare's older sister Louise in the beginning with her character appearing to help look after the family, particularly Clare due to the absence of their mother. The cast as a whole is appealing and give the audience glimpses of a different type of movie, that the film could've been had the scriptwriting been stronger. Despite the issues with the script, the audience feels the actors genuinely trying to add something special to the film with them succeeding for the most part in terms of giving the film an ounce of fun and magic. Whereas much criticism can be directed towards the writing aspect of the film, the performances for the most part are on point.

      In terms of directing, filmmakers Lasse Hallstrom and Joe Johnston, whose best known for handling family films such as Honey I Shrunk The Kids, The Pagemaster, October Sky, Jurassic Park lll, Hidalgo, and Captain America: First Avenger, succeeds in creating a visually appealing world that serves as being pure eye candy. Originally beginning with Hallstrom as the films director with Joe Johnston later brought in to do massive reshooting (Probably due to the studio's lack of enthusiasm with the films earlier cuts), Johnston does a good job of creating an atmosphere with the film that feels enchanting and magical, giving the movie a true holiday feel to it. One feels like he directed this film with the family audience in mind, like the director imagining a family could watch this type of film during the holiday season and be drawn into the world presented in the film. At times, it almost feels as if Johnston knows the script isn't fully fleshed out and works hard to make up for it's shortcomings by giving audiences an experience similar to watching Chronicles of Narnia with that world being breathtaking to watch. In terms of the films technical aspects such as costume design, make up and art-set decoration, The Four Realms is on point and impressive considering some of the sets in the film are real and not CGI. In terms of creating a beautifully detailed world, Johnston and the team pull it off in that regard with a pace that makes the film feel like it flies by with it's 100 minute running time. However for a story that aims to be an epic fantasy story like Narnia or LOTR for Christmas, it needed to be longer with more character and story elaboration. The score by James Newton Howard is an added plus to the film as it works to not just set the tone for the film, but bring emotion and a genuine holiday feel to the film. Considering that the film is based on an actual ballet, Johnston does a good job of bringing the story to life on the big screen blending both the music and the story together.

      The films script by Ashleigh Powell does a serviceable job of putting the story on the big screen despite it being the films main source of issues. The problem with the script is that it's full of generic cliches that feel familiar to audiences with them already being done before in other fantasy movies with similar plot structures mirroring The Wizard Of Oz with a young girl going on a mystical journey, that helps transform her into the person she's destined to be. The subplot involving the absence of Clare's mother feels like a tired old cliched, that's been done to death in other Disney films, as well as the conflict between her and her father over the mothers absence, which is conveniently resolved at the end of the movie for no other reason than to just patch things up for stories sake. The whole subplot involving Clare being encouraged to be the person her mother was as well as the person she's destined to be lacks an emotional punch mainly due to the fact that the subplot wasn't developed very well for audiences to care, along with the fact that they've already seen this plot before in other fantasy films such as Harry Potter and Star Wars with the main character being told about their parents and the expectation for the young character to follow their parents legacy. The story lacks genuine suspense and twists that aren't predictable nor easy to guess with Sugarplums reveal being a prime example. The films scriptwriting can best be described as being by-the-numbers with subplots and characters lacking true depth to make audiences genuinely care about what's happening on the screen. The films plot can basically be summed up as young female character discovering that she's meant to play a savior type role in a new world. She even has moments where she doubts herself and later discovers her confidence, which allows her to ultimately lead the fight for freedom. The story lacks its emotional power because it feels typical rather than blowing audiences away with its narrative. As gorgeous as the film looks visually, it fails to transport the audience into the world it's showing nor make the audience connect with any of the characters besides Clare, whose easily the strongest developed character with Louise being second. Clare is presented as being a young girl that possesses compassion, ingenuity, intelligence, and a strength which beguiles her age. The script ultimately makes the film miss that sense of awe that the audience feels when characters such as Clare discover these enchanting worlds for the first time as well as the emotional connections established between the characters. In regards to the film being faithful to its source material, The Nutcracker And The Four Realms honors the classic story while upgrading it for today's audiences with the inclusion of the main characters along with utilizing old ones.

      As a retelling of the classic story, The Nutcracker And The Four Realms is fresh and well-intentioned, but suffers from writing that feels unfinished. What makes the film watchable is the sentimentality that went into telling this story as well as the well-blending of the films visual scenery, the likable acting performances from the cast, and the films heartfelt score. This is a movie that needed to be much longer than its actual running time in order for it to truly connect with audiences the way it was meant to. What audiences ultimately got is a glimpse of what could've been an even greater story, had it been given the proper treatment. Instead they have to settle for what's a serviceable and mildly entertaining fantasy adventure, that could've been amazing. If one enjoys fantasy films such as Chronicles Of Narnia, The Wizard Of Oz, or last years The Wrinkle In Time, perhaps they will find some enjoyment with The Nutcracker And The Four Realms as the film has elements that make it work despite its misgivings. It's not as uneven and frustrating to watch as Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland as there's more to appreciate here. As a film to watch with the family during holiday season, it will dazzle the children but leave older audiences with more to be desired from it. One of 2018's biggest misfires, which is a shame because it had the right elements needed to make it a memorable fantasy epic, instead it ends up being watchable but ultimately forgettable. The Nutcracker And The Four Realms is a film that reaches for the stars, but misses them due to the lack of passion that the films writing suffers from.

Final Verdict: If one is looking for a family friendly fantasy epic to watch during the holiday season, watch Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe instead. If one wants a more impactful adventure that has the female character going on a wild adventure and becoming a savior type character, The Wizard Of Oz is a film that pulls off the narrative better.