But there are also creepy parts - like Mother Ginger's unsettling clowns, the teeming mice that form the giant Mouse King, and Sugar Plum's leering comments about the tin soldiers - that feel like a departure from the movie's kid-friendly tone.įoy is an undeniably appealing and expressive actor, and the film's young target audience will relate to her awestruck need to do what's right and what would make her mother proud. And there are certainly some moments of delight and wonder (Copeland dancing to Tchaikovsky's score, Clara's extravagant welcome party, the opulent sets and costumes). Here, Clara is no longer a passive observer but an active participant in defending and restoring the Four Realms. Which isn't to say that The Nutcracker and the Four Realms' expanded take on the classic Christmas ballet doesn't have an interesting premise. This visually compelling adaptation should please younger holiday-movie fans, but even Misty Copeland's ballet performances may not be enough to enthrall those without kids. Sugar Plum implores Clara to help bring peace to their world, so the girl and her trusted new friend, nutcracker soldier Phillip (Jayden Fowora-Knight), set out to save the day.

They claim that the fourth regent, Mother Ginger ( Helen Mirren), is trying to take over all of the realms. Clara receives an ornate filigree egg that requires a key to open, along with a note that says 'everything you need is inside.' At the party, Clara's Christmas gift from her godfather leads her into a Narnia-like world called the Four Realms, where she hunts for the key to the egg and meets three of the land's three regents, including Sugar Plum ( Keira Knightley). Before their widower father ( Matthew Macfadyen) takes them to a party at their godfather Drosselmeyer's ( Morgan Freeman) home, he gives each child a gift from their late mother. In this adaptation, Clara ( Mackenzie Foy) is the middle of three Stahlberg children, who are marking their first Christmas since the death of their mother, Marie (Anna Madeley). THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS is Disney's live-action fantasy adventure based on the classic Tchaikovsky ballet. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Clara's interest in science/invention is celebrated, as are courage, perseverance, trusting yourself, and learning from your mistakes. While there's no significant injury or death on-screen, main characters do face peril and betrayal, and both adults and children mourn the loss of Clara's beloved mother, Marie (her passing isn't shown, but her family is sad without her). Expect some creepy scenes/characters that could be frightening to young kids, especially the Mouse King (he's a large, looming creature made out of thousands of small, teeming mice), Mother Ginger's unsettling security clowns, and a few battle scenes between opposing forces (swords are used). Here, departing from the usual version of the story, Clara gains access to a magical, Narnia-like world called the Four Realms, where she meets a brave Nutcracker soldier (Jayden Fowora-Knight), the Sugar Plum Fairy ( Keira Knightley), Mother Ginger ( Helen Mirren), and more. Parents need to know that The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is Disney's live-action adaptation of the classic Christmas ballet about young Clara ( Mackenzie Foy), who receives a special gift from her godfather ( Morgan Freeman). Clara's mother, Marie, has died her death isn't shown, but a flashback suggests her pain/illness, and her surviving family members are very much grieving her loss.ĭid you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide. Mother Ginger's scarring could bother some kids.

A carousel is crushed by a swarm of mice, and soldiers fall and look unconscious/unmoving. Soldiers fall into holes dug in the dirt by mice (presumably they sprout out somewhere else no human casualties are apparent). A battle between living toys leads to several close calls, including moments when it looks like Clara or Phillip will be injured or worse. A group of unsettling clowns defends Mother Ginger's eerie, deserted-amusement-park lair and begins to attack Clara and Phillip.

The mouse king, a large, creepy-looking creature made up of hundreds of constantly moving mice, is menacing toward Clara and Phillip and grabs people/carries them away covered in teeming mice.

Metacritic nutcracker four realms