Into the Woods is a great example of an adaptation that tries too hard to please too many people. The original Broadway play is a surprisingly dark work, not forsaking the morbid tone the original Grimm Brothers told. A film adaptation that stuck completely to the source material would likely have been a fairly strong PG-13, keeping the wee ones out of theaters. However Disney wanted a family film, so much of the offending material was cut, and that’s ok, all adaptations have to make sacrifices here and there. What doesn’t work as well are when the changes aren’t significant enough, trying too hard to please fans of the dark original and cater to the more whimsical Disney Crowd giving, Into the Woods something of an identity crisis, although admittedly a fun identity crisis with some darn catchy tunes.

               

This tale focuses on The Baker and his wife, a loving if simple couple who have been cursed by a witch to remain childless due to the truly horrendous crime of stealing vegetables to feed a pregnant woman. The only way they can “reverse the curse” is to venture into (you guessed it) the woods and obtain five items, all based around fairytales.  Expect much singing, dashing princes, and animal-related hijinks.

               

Into the Woods is often a lot of fun, with great songs, some hilarious moments, (mainly provided by Meryl Streep as a cackling blue-haired witch, clearly having the time of her life), and some truly fantastic sets that bring the fairy tale to life.  But at the same time the darker sides of these tales, while still kind of-sort of-not really present, have been watered down and neutered to the point I wish these elements were better realized or cut entirely. A similar problem lays its thorny  roots in the story. Many of the characters and plotlines in the play, cut from the film, were well necessary for the ending. There’s a number of head scratching moments in the final half hour or so, with plot points and characters popping up, only to quickly vanish and never be seen or heard from again. It’s obvious the screenwriter was just trying to get things to wrap up, but it’s a rather half-baked ending to an otherwise strong story finishing with a sad whimper rather than a bang. All in all it’s a mess, and for those like myself, going in with minimal knowledge of the play, a confusing one.

               

Thankfully, while not really adding anything new, it still feels like fresh trip into a familiar world. The characters are all well cast, with Streep’s role being a stroke of genius. Even the seemingly obligatory Johnny Depp cameo is a fun addition, and overall, it’s a film that’s full of life with a sense of wonder that’s engrossing and infectious throughout, even if the elements don’t entirely come together.

               

Unfortunately, when the film does run out of gas, about an hour into the two-hour runtime, things really do start to crash and burn.  For a family film, one you are supposed to take your little rug rats to, two hours is an excessive runtime. Most kids struggle to pay attention for five minutes, with 120 being an almost herculean task for their little brains. Judging on the increasingly aggressive kicking the back of my seat received as the film prattled on, most of these kids clocked out early.

               

Into the Woods is a polarizing experience, with a story that wraps up too quickly, while also dragging on too long.  However, despite the rushed ending and jumbled plot, the magic really does shine through in the songs, the atmosphere, and a sense of whimsy often absent from live action pictures these days. Into the Woods is a journey worth taking, even with a few thorn bushes along the path.

 

3 out of 5 stars