Into the Woods is a downloadable big-screen adaptation of the classic Stephen Sondheim musical of the same name. Featuring a wide variety of fairy tale characters in stories, Into the Woods repurposes some of our most classic stories in a new light. Stories like Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Cinderella, all get jumbled up into a magical and musical motion picture. Directed by Rob Marshall and featuring a star-studded cast, this Disney musical is fun and exciting for members of the whole family.
How to Stream or Download Into the Woods
To stream or to download Into the Woods you need to click on the Download link provided at the bottom of the review. The film is available on iTunes with subtitles and audio in several languages. Tamil and Hindi might not be supported so if you are interested in these languages first check out the movie info. Before downloading it’s a good idea to also watch the movie trailer. If you like Meryl Streep (she plays The Witch), be sure also to watch Mamma Mia! and Mama Mia! Here We Go Again.
The Film Review
The story of Into the Woods features a wide variety of characters but focuses on a childless baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt). Unable to conceive a child in the traditional way, the baker and his wife turn to an old witch who promises to solve their problem. The witch tasks the baker with finding three magical items and returning them to her. This sends the baker on an unforgettable journey that has his meeting up with characters from a slew of fairy tales.
As the baker sets off on his journey, we see other characters going about their business as well. Cinderella (Anna Kendrick) attempts to withstand her berating relatives while getting ready for the prestigious ball. Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford) tries to bring her grandmother food while avoiding the Big Bad Wolf (Johnny Depp). Elsewhere, Jack (Daniel Huttlestone) is sent to sell his beloved cow at the market.
The movie does an excellent job of fleshing out these characters and their various stories while also intertwining them with the baker’s narrative. For the most part, every character gets their time in the spotlight, and they usually get to a sing a song of their own.
Make no mistake about it, Into the Woods maintains the musical nature of the play that it is based on. There are countless Disney songs full of sweeping orchestras and upbeat melodies. Things can occasionally get a bit dark and foreboding, but for the most part Into the Woods is a quirky take on many beloved fairy tales.
When it comes to the music itself, it’s hard to find places to complain. The score is very well done, and it’s a good representation of the original music from the stage play. However, with such a robust and plentiful cast of characters, not everyone can sing as well as you’d hope. Every now and then a member of the cast will struggle to keep a tune, but their lack of musical chops doesn’t ruin the song entirely. As long as you can withstand some off-note singing, you’ll likely find the music enjoyable.
Where the movie falters in the music department, it makes up for things in the visuals. Overall, Into the Woods is a beautiful film with plenty of gorgeous visuals and scenic vistas. The fantastical nature of the story is matched by the equally magical visuals, combining excellent makeup and costume work with beautiful sets and CGI.
Some scenes look better than others, but everything is well done and commendable. Ultimately, the same can be said for most of Into the Woods. There are some flaws along the way, but Into the Woods is an enjoyable (if lengthy) adventure.
