Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

Here's the thing: Into the Woods is an interesting experiment—taking a beloved Sondheim musical and giving it the Disney treatment—but it doesn't really work for most families.

The first half is fine: whimsical, fairy-tale fun with decent musical numbers. But Act 2 gets genuinely dark with character deaths, infidelity, and heavy-handed moralizing about consequences. That tonal whiplash is tough, especially when you're expecting Disney magic.

The bigger problem? It's just kind of boring. Those audience scores (49% on RT, 5.9 on IMDB) tell the real story. At 125 minutes with dense, wordy Sondheim songs, this is a slog for modern kids raised on TikTok pacing. The musical theater format feels stagey and slow. Even kids who love musicals often check out.

If you have a theater-obsessed tween who's ready for more mature themes and can sit through a long, talky musical, this might work. For everyone else? You're better off showing them the actual stage production on YouTube or just skipping it entirely. The movie isn't bad, exactly—it's just not particularly good, and it's definitely not what most families want from a Disney movie night.

Age Fit

Best for ages 11-15 who can handle darker themes and have the patience for musical theater. Younger kids will be bored and possibly scared; older teens will likely find it slow and stagey. Theater kids and Sondheim fans of any age might appreciate it, but that's a narrow audience.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

58

This Sondheim musical adaptation takes classic fairy tales and twists them into morally complex territory. While it models some cooperation (the baker and his wife working together), it also includes infidelity, parental death, and characters making selfish choices. The tone shifts dramatically from whimsical to dark in the second half, which can feel emotionally jarring. It's not unkind, but it's definitely not the warm-fuzzy fairy tale treatment Disney usually offers.

Imaginative

72

The premise of interweaving multiple fairy tales (Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel) into one narrative is creative and invites kids to think about familiar stories in new ways. The magical woods setting and the 'what happens after happily ever after' concept are genuinely clever. However, it's more about deconstructing existing stories than building something entirely new, and the heavy musical theater format doesn't invite much interactive imagination from viewers.

Safe

62

Common Sense Media rates this for age 10+, and that tracks. There's no graphic violence, but there are some legitimately scary moments (the Giant, the Wolf's predatory behavior toward Little Red), multiple character deaths (including a main character being crushed), and themes of infidelity that younger kids won't understand but older kids might find uncomfortable. The Wolf's interaction with Little Red has creepy undertones that parents should know about. It's PG but pushes that boundary—no surprise gore or nudity, but the emotional darkness in Act 2 can blindside families expecting a light Disney romp.

Enriching

68

The musical explores genuinely sophisticated themes: consequences of wishes, moral ambiguity, the messiness of 'happily ever after,' and how good people can do bad things. The Sondheim score is musically complex and could introduce kids to more sophisticated theater. There are real lessons about responsibility, grief, and community. However, these themes are delivered in a somewhat heavy-handed way, and the 125-minute runtime with dense musical numbers makes it a slog for many kids. The entertainment value is middling—critics liked it more than audiences did (70% vs 49% on RT).

Parent Info

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Why It Might Be Great

Clever deconstruction of classic fairy tales that challenges 'happily ever after' narratives
Introduces kids to sophisticated musical theater and complex Sondheim compositions
Strong cast including Meryl Streep delivering quality performances
Explores genuinely mature themes about consequences, responsibility, and moral ambiguity
Could spark interesting discussions about ethics and the messiness of real life

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What to Watch For

The Wolf's scenes with Little Red Riding Hood have predatory, creepy vibes that may make you uncomfortable
Multiple character deaths in the second half, including a beloved main character being crushed by the Giant
A married character has an affair—it's handled obliquely but older kids will catch it
The tone shift from whimsical to dark is jarring and may upset younger viewers expecting typical Disney
At 125 minutes with dense musical numbers, this is a legitimate endurance test for kids under 12

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think the characters' wishes caused so many problems? What would you have wished for?"
"The movie shows that 'good' people can make bad choices. Can you think of examples from the story?"
"What do you think about how the fairy tales ended differently than the original stories?"
"The characters had to work together to defeat the Giant. When have you had to cooperate with people you didn't like?"
"Do you think the Baker was a good father by the end? What changed for him?"

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