The last time a Stephen Sondheim musical received a screen adaptation, Tim Burton and company decided to completely obliterate what made the stage show of “Sweeney Todd” special in order to make the story cinematic. So when Disney announced they would be making a filmic version of Sondheim’s “Into the Woods,” all signs pointed to them turning the revisionist fairy-tale musical into something akin to their hit TV show “Once Upon a Time.” In other words, it could be a Marvel-style converging universe for Grimm’s Brothers tales.
Somehow, against the odds, “Into the Woods” maintains its integrity. Disney does not force a pop-friendly ditty into the fabric of Sondheim’s notoriously tricky melodies and tough rhythms. The soundtrack, likely to the pleasure of parents everywhere, boasts no “Frozen“-style tunes that demand playing on repeat. These songs are better, or at least more purposeful – they tell a powerful story.
Sondheim’s music explores not just the wishes, dreams, and desires that come with the fairy tales. The lyrics also deliberate the often neglected flip side of these: decisions, responsibility, and consequences. “Into the Woods” head-fakes its first happily ever after in order deliver an extended post-script, daring to ask whether characters like Cinderella actually made the best decision for themselves.
Rob Marshall, thankfully channeling more of his masterful work on “Chicago” than his dreadful job on “Nine,” orchestrates this massive ensemble reevaluating their respective outcomes with a remarkable economy. Everyone gets their moment, both in song and dialogue, to express their introspection. Even with a few numbers truncated or cut altogether, “Into the Woods” still gets its message across with a great balance of obvious telling for the children and subtle hinting for the adults.
Marshall and the Movies 
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