THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS (PG)

A classic story might be darker than you ever imagined… The Nutcracker and the Four Realms stars Mackenzie Foy, Keira Knightley, and Helen Mirren, and tells the tale of a young girl who is transported into a magical world on a quest to find a key that will unlock a treasured box.

Clara (Mackenzie Foy) is desperately searching for the one thing that could help fill the void in her heart: a key. But it’s not just any old key; she must find a special key that will unlock a treasured box holding a gift from Clara’s deceased mother.

At an annual Christmas party, Drosselmeyer (Morgan Freeman), Clara’s godfather, presents her with a golden thread which will lead her to the precious key. As she starts to follow the thread, it disappears, and she is magically transported into a parallel universe.

Here she befriends a soldier named Philip (Jayden Fowora-Knight), an army of mice, and the regents who rule the three Realms: Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers and Land of Sweets, where she meets the Sugar Plum Fairy (Keira Knightley).

To retrieve the key and restore balance in the deranged world, Clara must overcome the dangerous Fourth Realm, ruled by the evil dictator, Mother Ginger (Helen Mirran).

Directed by Lasse Hallström, this Walt Disney production comes from the studio that brought you Beauty and the Beast and The Jungle Book, and is inspired by E.T.A Hoffman’s classic tale The Nutcracker.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms stars a remarkable cast including Mackenzie Foy (Interstellar), Kiera Knightley (The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl), Helen Mirran (The Queen), and Morgan Freeman (Invictus), and features a special performance from ballerina Misty Copeland (A Ballerina’s Tale).

Cert: PG

Running time: 1hr 39mins