Film review: Into the Woods Grimm no more

MANILA, Philippines - Most avid fans of theater and film would know the premise behind the James Lapine-Stephen Sondheim Broadway musical Into the Woods. How it takes four popular Grimm Brothers fairytales — Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood — and expands the characters along with that of a childless Baker and his wife and the local Witch, to spin a wondrous tale about longing, reaching for what one desires and finding that sometimes what we wish for doesn’t bring us happiness or fulfillment.

But while the premise may be old news, one may not be ready for how, with a superb ensemble cast and the sure-footed direction of Rob Marshall, we can be treated to a film adaptation that is truly magical, an always engrossing pleasure to watch.

With directorial credits such as the made-for-television Annie, films such as Chicago and Nine, and a storied career as stage director and choreographer, Marshall was the more than logical choice for the Disney production of Into the Woods. Working with Lapine on the film adaptation, some changes from the Broadway version were made and the result is an altogether more cohesive, visually stunning, excursion into fairytale-land.

And what a cast! While Meryl Streep as the witch and Emily Blunt as the Baker’s wife have garnered accolades and nominations, be prepared for strong performances from the rest of the cast. The children who play Red Riding Hood and Jack are wonderful, and I found my personal favorite to be the unsung James Corden as the Baker. Better known as a stand-up comedian, the British actor who has won a Tony, emerges as the thread that keeps the film grounded with very human frailty, compassion and everyday nobility.

At its core, a fantasy musical about a childless couple and a curse, the adaptation has surprising shafts of delicious humor and tongue-in-cheek interpretations that Marshall has harnessed for our pleasure. I truly loved his staging of the song of the two Princes (Cinderella’s and Rapunzel’s). With Chris Pine and Billy Magnussen “competing” in the middle of a creek as to who is the more egotistical between them, the song becomes a campy, laughter-filled reflection on how one-dimensional and stereotyped our fairytale princes are always depicted. Similarly, the song between Pine and Blunt is a cheeky treatment of celebrity and adultery.

Johnny Depp as the Big Bad Wolf is all impure thoughts and innuendoes. And while the sexual content and violence of the musical have been toned down (yes, this is Disney after all), the spirit of the source material is kept intact.

As is often the case with material as familiar as Into the Woods, success will lie in the novelty of the retelling, how something fresh and new is brought to the table. With impressive set and costume designs, a more than able ensemble cast and a deft directorial touch, Into the Woods is a must-watch musical film — one that succeeds on several layers.