Barbie in the Nutcracker
By Kelli BruckenMPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Clara's wooden nutcracker is in a battle with the evil Mouse King. While helping her nutcracker, the Mouse King casts a spell on Clara, shrinking her. Clara and the Nutcracker set off on a thrilling journey to find the Sugar Plum Princess, the only one who can break the Mouse King's wicked enchantment.
Barbie comes to life in this modern adaptation of E.T.A. Hoffmann's classic The Nutcracker. The story begins as Barbie and her sister Kelly dance to the original Nutcracker Ballet. Kelly is frustrated with her steps, so Barbie sits down to tell her the story of Clara and the nutcracker. In this spectacular adventure Barbie plays the role of Clara. A wooden nutcracker is given as a Christmas gift to Clara by her favorite aunt. That night, as Clara sleeps, the nutcracker leaps to life to ward off the Mouse King and his army. Clara awakenes to an epic battle in her parlor. Rushing to help her beautiful nutcracker, Clara is shrunk by an evil spell cast by the Mouse King. To break the spell, and save the nutcrackers home, Clara and the nutcracker begin a thrilling quest to find the mysterious Sugar Plum Princess, the only one who can defeat the Mouse King. The computer animation in this film lend it a unique quality. The characters resemble true living dolls. Breathtaking dance scenes coupled with the classical music of Tchaikovsky from the original Nutcracker Ballet make this story a must-see for ballet lovers. My daughter loved dancing right along with the spirited fairies. The Mouse King is a magnificent villain, but is often shown with humor to lighten his evil deeds. We thoroughly enjoyed this classic tale with a modern Barbie twist. It is the first in a series that also include Barbie as Repunzel and the Princess and the Pauper (to be released later in 2004).
