Reviewed by Stephen Hornbrook

Into the Woods Blu-ray Movie Review

Synopsis

Iconic characters, such as Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel, find their fates intertwined with a humble baker and his wife, whose longing to have a child sends them on a quest to reverse a witch’s (Streep) curse. With an all-star cast, this spell-binding adventure is everything you could ever wish for!

Based on the musical “Into the Woods” with music by Stephen Sondheim and lyrics by James Lapine, this movie adaptation is directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago) and stars Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, and Anna Kendrick among others.

Specifications

  • Disney
  • 2014, Color, rated: PG, 2 hours 5 Minutes
  • Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
  • 1080p
  • English DTS-HD MA 7.1
  • Starring: Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine
  • Directed by Rob Marshall

Rating

  • Entertainment:
  • Video:
  • Audio:
  • Extras:
  • Violence: No
  • Sex: No
  • Language: No

Commentary

Having never seen or listened to the musical I came into “the woods” unfamiliar with the songs and with no basis of comparison. I think this had both its pluses and minuses. There was much talk about what Disney kept in the movie and what was left on the cutting room floor, mainly a subplot involving the two princes having affairs with Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, that was not a distraction during my viewing. On the other hand, not being familiar with some of the songs made it harder to get into the movie.

“Into the Woods” has some great moments, my favorite being the Agony song featuring the two princes. They absolutely nail it and the song is very catchy. Oscar nomination worthy or not, Meryl Streep really is as good as everyone says. Both Anna Kendrick as Cinderella and James Corden as the Baker perform wonderfully as well. While watching, the movie did feel a tad long to me, but in hindsight it was probably about the right length. I think the pacing could have been managed better in the latter half of the movie.

Overall, “Into the Woods” is an entertaining look at the fairy tales from The Brother’s Grimm and a fine job by Rob Marshall and Disney bringing this musical to the big screen.

Technical

The image quality for this Blu-ray release of “Into the Woods” is near stellar. Great natural colors, of which I was pleasantly surprised by. Usually these fantasy movies take an unnatural overly saturated color balance. Not the case here and the shadow detail is also excellent. A few soft scenes keep this one from a perfect score.

More impressive is the DTS-HD MA 7.1 soundtrack. “Into the Woods” being a musical, the sound is very important and it surely delivers. Vocals are clear and robust, never drowned out by the sound effects. The low frequency effects are demo quality and will surely give subwoofers a workout throughout the film.

Extras

Never-Before-Seen Sondheim Original Song: “She’ll Be Back”
Meryl Streep performs a compelling new song that sheds a little more light on the Witch’s relationship with Rapunzel. This never-before- seen composition was penned especially for this movie by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, and is seen here exclusively on Blu-ray and EHV. With introduction by Director Rob Marshall.
There’s Something About The Woods
Journey into this mysterious forest to discover how this compelling, new musical was made. Meet Director Rob Marshall and his award-winning team of artists and craftspeople, see how the woods were brought to life…and what they represent to the story…and to all of us.
The Cast As Good As Gold
Emily Blunt. Anna Kendrick. Chris Pine. James Corden. Johnny Depp. Meryl Streep. Meet the remarkable cast of this musical movie, and hear of their affinity for this Broadway classic.
Deeper Into The Woods
Journey even further into the development of the film in these 4 segments: From Stage To Screen, Magic of the Woods, Designing the Woods, The Costumes of the Woods
Filmmaker Commentary
Film commentary with Director Rob Marshall and Producer John DeLuca.
Music & Lyrics
Get direct access to the musical song segments from the film, with optional sing-along lyrics.
5 Golden Eggs (Easter Eggs)

Clips

The Cast

She’ll Be Back