Movie · 2014 · Fantasy, Comedy · 2h 5m · PG · English
Curator score: 1.6/10 (431.4K ratings)
Be careful what you wish for...
Overview
In a woods filled with magic and fairy tale characters, a baker and his wife set out to end the curse put on them by their neighbor, a spiteful witch.
Ratings
Curator score: 1.6/10
IMDb: 5.9/10
Letterboxd: 2.76/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 70%
Metacritic: 69
TMDB: 5.8/10
Director
Rob Marshall
Production
Walt Disney Pictures, Marc Platt Productions, Lucamar Productions
Cast
Anna Kendrick, Meryl Streep, Lilla Crawford, James Corden, Emily Blunt, Johnny Depp, Daniel Huttlestone, Chris Pine, Christine Baranski, Tammy Blanchard, Lucy Punch, Mackenzie Mauzy, Billy Magnussen, Tracey Ullman, Richard Glover, Frances de la Tour, Simon Russell Beale, Joanna Riding, Annette Crosbie, Andy Hayes
Where to watch
Disney Plus
Curator Review
Verdict
A clever, starry fairy-tale mashup with strong musical numbers and a darker second-act bite, but the film’s uneven pacing, drab visual style, and softened dramatic edge keep it from fully landing. It’s worth watching for the performances and the big ensemble energy, especially if you like Broadway-to-screen adaptations that lean bittersweet rather than purely whimsical.
Best for
musical fans
fairy-tale reimaginings
viewers who enjoy dark comedy
fans of ensemble casts
Broadway adaptations
Skip if
you want a lush, cinematic fantasy world
you dislike stage-to-screen musicals
you prefer lighthearted fairy tales
you’re sensitive to uneven tone shifts
you want a tightly paced family movie
Overview
Into the Woods has the ingredients for a great screen musical: a witty premise, a stacked cast, and songs that can be both playful and bruising. The first half moves with real charm, and the film knows how to sell a joke, a power ballad, or a villain entrance when it wants to.
Worth noting
What holds it back is a sense of compromise. The adaptation trims away some of the stage show’s sharper structure and emotional payoff, while the visual approach often feels flat for a story that should be overflowing with wonder. The result is a movie that is frequently entertaining, sometimes moving, but rarely as enchanted as it ought to be.
Bottom line
Still, for viewers who like their fairy tales tangled up with irony, regret, and a little theatrical excess, it remains an appealing watch. The best moments are memorable enough to justify the trip, even if the whole journey is a bit uneven.
Top Letterboxd reviews
sofi✨ (3★) · 3487 likes
i’d like to thank not only god but jesus for chris pine singing “agony” while ripping his shirt
sree (3.5★) · 3144 likes
johnny depp reprises his role as the creep
sarah (1.5★) · 2578 likes
we as a society have evolved past the need for james corden
emma (1.5★) · 2346 likes
was i supposed to be shocked when emily blunt cheated on james corden with chris pine’s fine ass
♡megan♡ (5★) · 1564 likes
are we out of the woods yet
are we out of the woods yet
are we out of the woods yet
are we out of the woods
are we in the clear yet
are we in the clear yet
are we in the clear yet
in the clear yet good
1986 · Adventure, Family, Fantasy · 1h 41m · PG · Curator 6.1/10 (643.5K ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Hulu, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, Night Flight Plus, Netflix Standard with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus
A fantasy musical-adjacent adventure with theatrical creatures, whimsy, and a slightly off-kilter mood.