Der Nussknacker

One of the worst movies I have seen in the recent times. Usually i would try to find some good point in a movie, but no matter how I crack (no wonder I just watched nutcracker!) my head . . . nothing. Well, I do not want to take the credit away from the character of Mary, which was the only respite due to which at least I am rating 2 out of 10. When you go for such movies usually plot is not up for critical review, but this movie beats the lowest of the standards. Music is terrible, actors (except Elle) are worse, the flow of the movie allows anybody to keep jumping out for some popcorn. One might expect at least some 3D effects to feel compensated for the time, but clearly the movie (except for the first few scenes) are much late adaptation for 3D and literally makes you feel cheated. Usually, such movies that are targeted towards younger audiences manage extra chuckles from the young ones in the theater, but this movie succeeded in getting yawns from them!.

Make no bones about it, this movie sucks. It does have some meriting factors--interesting set design and production. And that's pretty much it! Writing, directing and acting: ham-fisted at best. The songs are TERRIBLE, the film's themes are all over the place and forget about any sense of continuity. Inexplicably, the main character's uncle is Albert Einstein who deigns it necessary to sing a dreary diddy about relativity and the rats are Nazis because... who knows?! The biggest disappointment: the stupid looking Nutcracker (who goes by NC!) that looks like an unimaginative Pinocchio. Glad to see this film bombed at the box office, hard.

Disappointing in most respects. Inconsistent plot, poor lyrics, poor music adaptation, unconvincing acting for most of the movie. Like most reviewers will probably acknowledge, the visual effects are OK, but have no cause to serve. The film is a waste of nice animation, exactly what I wouldn't have expected from Koncealovski. And now, for a few upsetting details...

It is very difficult to become attached to any of the characters, because they are so superficially introduced. I don't get the real feeling of a backstory, which actually damages the whole universe of the film. Mary is the only character which seems alive, for better or worse. Otherwise, they are all pale and unconvincing.

The techno-fairy tale / political satire mix doesn't help either. I'm thinking of loads of splices you'd be able to make, starting from an original fairy tale, and I can't understand why you'd combine a Disney style dramatization with an oppressed-toys(and humans)-against-evil-nazi-rats uprising. It's not fun enough for adults, it's not simple and clear enough for children. And it doesn't have so much to do with the original...

And talking about the original, the use of Tchaikovsky's music is uninspired, to say the least. The adaptation sounds simplistic, and voices may not have been a good idea. First of all, because it used to be a ballet and, call me a rigid type, but I'd have loved to see it developed on this line. Second, because the lyrics are dull, and the actors' voices sound really bad at times (ok, try to make it sound natural but do follow the notes!). Third, because the modern orchestration further reduces the charm of the original, turning it into a sort of kindergarten party song. As far as the musical part goes, I'm taking Sweeney Todd as a reference. And, compared to this, Nutcracker is way below.

Bottom line? Don't see it, even if the other guy is paying. It's plain loss of time and a poor reference about the classics, if you have any children.

I saw this movie with my wife and daughter (7) in America recently, we are from Ireland. We were excited to go and see it as it is the only story written in which my daughter name is used. Unfortunately we were very disappointed when we realized the main characters name was changed to Mary. In the original story and ballet the little girl's name is 'Clara', in future productions please pay attention to the small details. As for the movie it was entertaining the story follows the ballet version to a point but is let down by the lack of music. The main focus seemed to be placed on the special effects in which the Nut Cracker and Clara are transported to the princes world, The Rat King played by John Turturro was well done he is a very fine actor. The make-up on the rats and the rat king was more akin to 'The Grinch' movie starring Jim Carrey than something more original. What was good was the color used, the sets and the overall production it had the Christmas feel to some degree. The movie unfortunately is let down by the lack of music, the acting and particularly the connection between Clara and the Nut Cracker. Overall this movie is not great.

I'm sure there's been the occasional viewer that wonders why I do get so angry about movies sometimes. Well, films are something that I'm very passionate about, every movie that I've seen goes from that is praised with comments or hate with every cell of my brain.

And speaking of the literal Devil, we have ourselves "The Nutcracker in 3D"!!!

...This is the worst movie I've ever seen!!!! First of all, Anderi Konchalovsky directed this crap! He previously directed "Runaway Train" and the TV-movie "The Odyssey". I can't accept this!!! How is that possible that he went from a groundbreaking movie and a cult fantasy film to This?!?

What's the point on making a movie with Nazi Rats (They are Mice in the original story, you idiots!!!) that burn toys like how they did to the Jews?!?

OK, if Konchalovsky wanted to make a despotic movie with Nazis represented like greedy rats and other political animal-alike allusions that's OK! It's interesting! ...But leave the classic story of the Nutcracker alone!!!

It would be like... If I make a movie about the tale of Aladdin, where Aladdin is Obama, Jafar is a Bin Laden, Agrabah a New York-alike city destroyed by terrorist attacks and The Genie be an incarnation of Uncle Sam! Oh, and all this weird despotic crap pretended to be a "kids movie". No!No!No!!! That's not how it works!!! I'll describe the two scenes that mostly offended me: the Rat King, after performing a bad-choreographed musical number, kills a shark inside a tank by electrocuting it with a light!!! The second one, the Rat King suddenly rips off the head of a living Drummer Boy with bare hands and for a few seconds he plays volleyball with his Nazi-soldiers using the head of the poor guy and than replace it and act like nothing happened! You know, for KIDS!

But of course, these are the images that comes to your mind when you think of the Nutcracker! ...Nazi creatures that burn toys, kill sharks and play volleyball with the head of their victims HELLO?!?

The movie is an awful waste of money and talent(...If there was ANY!!!), and it sucks balls because for the unappealing Nazi characters, the awful 3D effect and for turning Tchaikovsky's music into horrendous songs that makes "Marry the Mole" look like Bohemian Rhapsody!!!

And I'm not the only person who thinks this "movie" in an abomination: 0% on Rotten Tomatoes! And Roger Ebert said: "The Nutcracker in 3D is one of those rare holiday movies that may send children screaming under their seats." In fact, no kid went to see this movie! The Nutcraker in 3D was a giant NUT-BOMB at the box office!!!

This movie is one of those rare movies that can insult the intelligence of Anybody. Do not watch it.