Lavish! I'm an absolute sucker for production design and some of it's absolutely marvellous here (especially the introduction to the Realm(s)). Hallström knows how to make a pretty movie, Johnston knows how to make 'em fun, and with their powers combined you get to watch money burn in a beautiful (CG) bonfire.
I really don't understand how could anyone call this "lazy", "lifeless", or "soulless" even. There's clearly so much imagination and work put into creating this world (even if it doesn't reinvent the wheel), and there's plenty of sincerety from the cast. Keira's having so much fun chewing the scenery. She's deliciously over the top! There's nothing cynical about The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (maybe from the suits behind the curtain). It's just a simple classic tale overblown to unnecessary proportions.
Ain't a hill I'm willing to die on, but (yet again) generic does not equal bad... The magic wears off after a while, but it's perfectly fine 'lullipop' (lullicane? no, that doesn't really work) entertainment for the Holidays.
I really don't understand how could anyone call this "lazy", "lifeless", or "soulless" even. There's clearly so much imagination and work put into creating this world (even if it doesn't reinvent the wheel), and there's plenty of sincerety from the cast. Keira's having so much fun chewing the scenery. She's deliciously over the top! There's nothing cynical about The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (maybe from the suits behind the curtain). It's just a simple classic tale overblown to unnecessary proportions.
Ain't a hill I'm willing to die on, but (yet again) generic does not equal bad... The magic wears off after a while, but it's perfectly fine 'lullipop' (lullicane? no, that doesn't really work) entertainment for the Holidays.
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