To give context we have watched other "dark" films that we liked, such as Nightmare Before Christmas, and this is very different from that - a much poorer quality film, and far more adult content.ĭo not watch this!!! Can't believe Disney approved it and all these famous actors were in it. But how can it be a film for adults? It's about fairy tales.
It's not for kids, because it's super inappropriate, dark and scary. Not only is the film inappropriate and scary, but even if you are an adult who wouldn't be bothered by that, the songs are soooo long and boring and stagey. The characters do a lot of immoral and exploitative things - tricking others, lying, stealing, adultery. The characters call Jack "dim witted" and it's very mean and sends a message that kids who are not academic or intellectual are stupid and a nuisance to others. One other shocking moment is when the stepmother cuts off the toes and heels of her daughters, with a knife! This is definitely not a scene for a children's movie. There are lots of other scary moments of witches suddenly dropping out of tress etc but worse are the really dark scary themes of murder, kidnapping etc. My 8-year-old son, who has seen scary films like Jurassic Park and been totally fine, asked me to fast forward, and he is not scared of anything. When the wolf is in the bed pretending to be granny he looks super scary, like a zombie or a corpse. There is a creepy pedophile/sexual predator overtone to what he says about her and her "flesh." I couldn't believe it got through censors. The themes are extremely dark - for example, the wolf stalks the young girl and the fact he is a man, not a real wolf, actually makes it scarier. The songs and dialogue include words such as "rape" and "abuse." It is inappropriate for children and should be rated much higher. But teamwork is valued, family is found in unexpected places, and characters tackle moral dilemmas in ways that will resonate with viewers. There's no strong language to speak of (though some of the brilliant lyrics are tricky to follow) characters do kiss, and there's an illicit tryst between a couple who are married to others.
Meryl Streep's wicked witch might terrify younger kids, and giants wreak havoc upon the land and terrorize its residents - but for the most part, the scares are mild.
A lascivious wolf preys on a young girl, children lose and are separated from their parents, sympathetic characters die, handsome princes aren't all they appear to be, and there's no promise of happy ending for anyone. Its presentation of characters like Cinderella, Prince Charming, and more as very flawed people may be confusing or upsetting for younger kids there's lots to think about here, but it's pretty emotionally complicated stuff. Parents need to know that Into the Woods is a beautiful, clever, frequently funny, sometimes somber, and ultimately uplifting take on classic Brothers Grimm fairy tales, based on the beloved musical by Stephen Sondheim.