Cinderella’s slipper, Rapunzel’s hair, Little Red Riding Hood’s cape and Jack’s cow. A most unusual shopping list – unless, that is, you’re going Into the Woods. For these are the items Meryl Streep’s Wicked Witch asks of the village baker and his wife (James Corden and Emily Blunt) in exchange for the promise of a long-awaited child. And so, the familiar fairy tales cross-over in this Broadway musical adaptation where everyone simply tries to get to their own happy ending. It is however a darker story with an atmosphere reminiscent of Tim Burton’s fantastical and creepy worlds (think Alice in Wonderland or Dark Shadows). Indeed, none is creepier than Johnny Depp’s big bad wolf, whose song to Red Riding Hood frankly will just make you uneasy. It’s a visual delight, in particular in the character and costume designs, with a modern gothic touch that contributes to setting that tone yet still maintains a timeless magical look. Meryl Streep – give me your dress, your face, your everything!

In keeping with the somber feel of the film, the characters are not as one-dimensional as their glittery counterparts; for instance the witch is not wicked so much as driven, and the ever-amazing Meryl Streep makes the most of it although as greedy as the witch may be, she was too scarce. As it is, Anna Kendrick makes a spectacular turn with her indecisive Cinderella who, unbothered by curfews, is just not quite sure the Prince (Chris Pine) is good enough for her. This play on the fairy tale stereotypes is one of the strengths of the film; it pokes fun at itself and its source material by contrasting complete clichés and the reality of human behaviour, as summed up by the unashamedly “charming, not sincere” prince. In that same vein, Chris Pine and Billy Magnussen’s rendition of “Agony” is a comedic highlight reminiscent of Enchanted’s silly Prince Edward.

The plot skips on the details we’ve heard dozens of times and instead fills in the available blanks and weaves the stories together to create an original angle. Best of all, none of the storylines quite meet the conventional endings we’ve come to expect, using these expectations as merely intermediate plot points. Into the Woods has its own morale and its own idea of a happy ending. While interesting and original (for Disney, don’t get too excited), this does create the feeling of back to back separate arcs. In turn, the feature feels lengthy and when the ending does comes, it is not enough. Perhaps it is the whole point – life is messy in the woods and if you knew exactly where it was going, it wouldn’t be as fun. While not as enchanting and magical as Disney’s great classics, Into the Woods is a charming musical carried by a solid cast, and makes for a fun and intriguing watch.

See it if you liked: Dark Shadows, Enchanted, Once Upon a Time (TV)

Into the Woods is in theatres now.