Wednesday, August 21, 2019

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms 2018 FILM REVIEW 7/10


I would rate this PG due to fighting scenes.  This film with its all-star cast is not your typical happy Christmas movie but a drama fantasy adventure – coming of age. It deals with things like legacy, bravery, confidence and biblical conviction and grieving.  Clara pursues the key to open her mother’s gift and to find the meaning of her note.  As in the real-world truth can be elusive not because its hiding, but because lies and falsehood are vying for credence at every turn and distract us if we are not careful.   

Clara nearly gives in to doubt and discouragement but remembers her mother’s parting note — the four realms adventure helps her realize her mother’s legacy.  Her mom was telling her she had within her the Holy Spirit and the things they had already taught her – all she needed to face the world and the be the person she's meant to be.  Though God is never mentioned in the movie similar to the Chronicles of Narnia and the book of Esther the influence of God is implied.  You can only miss the true message if you desire to.  Its easy to spin things to your own evil purposes like the media and sales people do to get people to buy what they don’t need and watch made-up sensationalized news shows otherwise no one would watch and their ratings would go down because truth is often boring and downright hard to swallow like medicine. 

The film is essentially asking us all – how will you choose to live?  What legacy will you leave your children.  We all have a sphere of influence for good or bad.  Will you throw your kids to the wolves to influence for selfish lazy & false motives or teach them absolute truth against which there is no law.  To live life their way or God’s way.  Evil would like objective truth to fade from existence, but it never shall as shown in this fantasy film.  We are shown how circumstances and surroundings are out of our control while we are growing up.  Spoiler alert:  Sugar plum is the turn coat -- seemingly innocent and kind and asking Clara for help, but when opportunity knocks, she seizes the opportunity to overthrow the other 3 realms.  Earlier in the film she complains of the so-called dangerous and rebellious Ginger Mother who in reality was the only realm who knew who posed the true danger.  As in real life danger can come in all kinds of packages with fine sounding arguments.  Their ignorance and inability to discern the truth almost cost everyone their freedom.  We see how important it is to protect our young and show them the correct path and not leave to society or their teachers to learn morals and ethics. It is the parent’s responsibility before a righteous God. Why would anyone trust our precious children to strangers on how to live and what to believe?  The prophets of old lost their lives to bring the biblical message to all mankind.  Evil rarely looks evil on the outside, but is insidious striking when we are most vulnerable, and at our weaknesses.  Sugar Plum could have also chosen good, but had given her heart over to darkness and despite the truth offered her could not accept it when the moment of truth came and she as the move portrayed suffered the consequences for her actions -- which is as it should be.  Good offered her a chance (as it always does) to change and she would not.

Clara gradually gains an understanding of who she is enabling her to fulfil her unforeseen role --reminiscent of what life does to all of us.  The film draws you into her character and somehow your own story as you watch it.  Clara must overcome her doubts and anxiety and trust her God given gifts and strength by faith.  It’s wonderful how they tie in reliance on friends and trust and loyalty.  This film does a great job of dealing with grief and how it can keep us off balance if we don’t remember who we are in Christ and what our parents taught us – the implication being good biblical character since we are in the Christmas genre.  It brings out how difficult and disorienting death can be in a family and how we must be patient and understanding while helping other family members cope with the loss as well. It depicts clearly how working together & fighting for right is good and worth the effort in the end when our cause is just though the way may be hard to discern and navigate.  It’s the old adage ‘evil prospers when good people do nothing’.  God forces us to face life head on and to ask the hard questions and seek for answers until we find them.  We ignore God (truth) to our own demise as depicted in the film.  

Finally recognizing her mother's desire was for her to embrace life to the fullest Clara realizes that means making tough choices and fighting for right.  Sometimes a peaceful solution is not on the table.    And that she is free to remember the past while always striving forward to be the person God made her to be.  She doesn't allow herself to be paralyzed by grief, evil, and the complexities of life.  She sees her mother’s legacy of mercy, unconditional love, patience, loyalty, kindness, bravery, duty, and family. Spoiler alert: toward the end Clara realizes she had misjudged her father.  He simply grieved differently at the loss of his wife (her mother) than she did.  Not less, just differently.  This is a splendid adventure with a moving theme for all ages.   It forces the viewer to think which is why I recommend this one whether you’ve experienced a death in the family or not.  Enjoy! Some may ask why the 7 rating with such positive comments, but when you’ve seen thousands of movies you realize everyone sees things differently and you must leave room for the 8s 9s and 10s. 




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