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'The Nutcracker and the Four Realms' is winter wonderland
It feels as though Christmas has come early in November, what with The Nutcracker and the Four Realms playing in Jakarta’s movie theaters.
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From left, British actress Ellie Bamber, United States ballet dancer Misty Copeland, US actress Mackenzie Foy and British actress Keira Knightley pose for a photograph at the European premiere of “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” in London on Nov. 1 (AFP/Anthony Harvey)
I
t feels as though Christmas has come early in November, what with The Nutcracker and the Four Realms playing in Jakarta’s movie theaters. A live action Disney movie for those who are into ballet and cannot wait for Christmas, The Nutcracker presents a winter wonderland full of fantasy.
If you enjoy its namesake ballet, the movie is an alternative way to immerse yourself in the story. The main protagonist, Clara Stahlbaum, is played by 17-year-old Mackenzie Foy, who, although not tiptoeing in a pair of pointe shoes, has the slender figure of a young ballerina.
Slipping into an organza ball gown in a dreamy mauve shade, Clara embodies a girl who has to go to a Christmas party, but is still devastated by her mother’s death. She is as mellow as a winter night, but determined to find a key to unlock a present that her mother had left for her.
Traveling from Godfather Drosselmeyer’s mansion to four realms, Clara in her short-sleeved ball gown does not seem to be bothered by the snowy winter’s day. My much younger self would undoubtedly fall for Clara’s fairy-like demeanor, but I found the scenes rather disturbing, especially with me being somewhat musophobic. And I thought, what is it about mice that make them so popular in fairytales and as cartoon characters? Cinderella has a group of mice who are her friends and Mickey Mouse is well […] a mouse.
Before I was able to find the answer, Clara arrived in another realm, where she meets the Sugar Plum Fairy, played by Keira Knightley who looks as if she just stepped out of a fashion magazine a little bit tipsy.
I liked the movie’s wardrobe from award-winning costume designer Jenny Beavan. The bottom part of the Sugar Plum Fairy’s dress looks like a playful take on Katniss Everdeen’s wedding gown designed by Indonesian designer Tex Saverio circa 2014. But my favorite is Clara’s little soldier costume, comprising a fitted military jacket and a circle skirt that allows her to sit comfortably on a horse. Feminine, yet powerful.
Another part of the movie that I enjoyed is the scene where Misty Copeland, the female principal dancer of the American Ballet Theater (ABT), takes to the stage to perform Ballerina Princess for Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the realms’ regents. She is joined by Sergei Polunin in a pas de deux, leading a corps of 18 dancers.
Read also: Disney tells a different 'Nutcracker' story on the big screen
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is a new addition to the story. The Nutcracker and the Mouse King was originally written by E. T. A. Hoffmann and it was then adapted by Alexandre Dumas into a ballet called The Story of a Nutcracker.
Although I struggled to stay awake during some parts of the movie, and thinking that I might fall asleep if I had to watch it for a second time, I came to the conclusion that this movie is suitable for those who like to flip through glossy magazines.
Part of me was relieved when the movie ended, but, spoiler alert, I was fully refreshed after seeing Misty performing another dance during the closing credits. It prompted me to check the ABT website to see if there are some tickets left for The Nutcracker.
