Parents' Guide to

The Nuttiest Nutcracker

By Tracy Moore, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Silly twist on the classic adds veggies and goofiness.

Movie G 1999 48 minutes
The Nuttiest Nutcracker Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 4+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Cosplaykat
Cosplaykat Adult
December 25, 2020
age 4+

Not Worth Your Time

Poor animation, bad jokes and rotten script. Their are better Christmas specials to show your kids. Better yet show them a recording of the actual Nutcracker recorded live. The one from 1977 is really good.
heidih1
heidih1 Adult
September 22, 2014
age 4+

Irritating and poor quality

The cg animation is horribly raw and unfinished, the storyline is forced and the humor is cornier than Orville Redenbacher. Even the problem is stilted (Parents late arrival on Christmas eve, therefore Christmas is suddenly dumb and pointless). I stomached watching it one time hoping it would improve, but it only got worse and the conclusion was sadly lacking. My advice, if you MUST let your children watch this movie, make sure you're in the other end of the house with earplugs and a blindfold.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Maria's parents won't be home for Christmas, but her uncle's gift, a nutcracker prince, transports Maria off to a magical dreamland that night in her sleep. There, she meets Reginald the Rat King (voiced by James Belushi), the Sugar Plum Fairy (Phyllis Diller), and an assortment of nuts, fruits, and veggies battling it out for dominance. Maria must help beat the rat army, reclaim the star for the top of the Christmas tree, and save the holiday from Reginald's evil plans.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (1):

THE NUTTIEST NUTCRACKER is not widely available for a reason -- it's a bit cobbled together, only loosely follows the original story, and features dated animation. But kids who enjoy Christmas stories may be enthralled with this battle among fruits, veggies, and nuts, and a rat king who will stop at nothing to win. There are some silly flatulence jokes and lots of veggie army action. Plus, there are some good lessons about helping others and having a good attitude, even when things don't work out as you wish. And, with a resolution about helping those who've hurt you, it's a good message for the season, even if it's unlikely to keep parents all that entertained.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about The Nutcracker. Have you seen the original story? How are the original and this version different? How are they the same?

  • How does your family get into the spirit of the holidays?

  • Have you ever forgiven someone who was unkind to you? How did it make you feel? How did you work it out?

Movie Details

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