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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Wendy Ide

The Nutcracker and the Magic Flute review – a turkey with all the trimmings

The Nutcracker and the Magic Flute.
‘Dismal’: The Nutcracker and the Magic Flute. Photograph: Publicity image

The title of this dismal, Russian-produced animation is a mashup of the Tchaikovsky ballet and the Mozart opera. But the story, a nonsensical magical Christmas quest involving evil humanoid rats, has little bearing on either. Teenager Marie is threatened with marriage in order to save her mother from debtor’s prison. For some reason she shrinks, and all her favourite childhood toys, including the world’s most punchable ostrich, come to life. The animation style is synthetic, the story is illogical, and the songs make you want to plug your ears with stollen.

Watch a trailer for The Nutcracker and the Magic Flute.
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