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Parents' Guide to

The Nutcracker in 3D

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Big-screen remake of ballet is too dark for little kids.

Movie PG 2010 110 minutes
The Nutcracker in 3D Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 12+

Based on 5 parent reviews

age 10+

Cracked and nutty

A very disappointing mess of bad songs, poorly conceived characters and a bloated, unnecessarily complex and unpleasant narrative. Hardly anything like the original.
age 13+

Creepy!!

This movie is creepy and dark. There is not enough dancing or classic nutcracker music. The songs are originals and not memorable. Only positive is funny Uncle Albert, but definitely not worth watching.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5 ):
Kids say (5 ):

THE NUTCRACKER IN 3D by no means does justice to the original (far from it, in fact, with little dancing and some lyrics -- yes, lyrics -- pegged onto Tchaikovsky’s music). Remaking a classic rarely happens without controversy, especially so when it's a story (or ballet) as entrenched as The Nutcracker. The 3-D effects seem unnecessary and -- frankly -- perhaps tacked on to generate a few extra dollars at the box office.

And for a film that’s clearly intended to appeal to kids, this Nutcracker feels too apocalyptic and dark, with its references to Nazi Germany, for younger viewers (though Turturro, who’s almost always pitch-perfect, is puzzling rather than scary as the evil Rat King). Still, Fanning is a delight as Mary, managing to infuse the production with some semblance of wonder. And though the story here has been diluted at best, its underlying message of the beauty of a child’s imagination still rings true. That’s a relief.

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