Hobbit Five Armies vs Into the Woods

[lavendersun]

If you have seen the Hobbit do you think it would be OK for an 8 year old who has read the book?

The other two are probably her two favourite films but I am not sure about the third one. Friends have told me it includes more gore than the others.

The other option at the cinema is Into the Woods - off to research that one but if you have seen it would you let your 8 year old watch it?

I've seen the stage show but this is the first film adaptation of it. I'm seeing it tomorrow night, want me to report back? It is quite a dark show but no idea how dark the film will be.

But it's Sondheim so in my book, it will be ace

Lots of fighting in the hobbit (looonnnggg battle) but not really gory, or scary. The dragon is quite feisty mind so as long as they wouldn't be scared of that I wouldn't be too worried

Thanks both of you. Maybe the Hobbit then as the few sites I have looked at for Into the Woods suggests it might be best for slightly older children.

Latest blurb on ITW

Probably ought to point out that you do see dead bodies in the hobbit but not in horrific detail and mainly just a quick glimpse.

This film is truly dire.

This review from the Independent sums it up perfectly.

There's an enjoyable, if very brief, cameo from Johnny Depp as a big, bad wolf, leering and sneering with a hint of Terry-Thomas about him, and Chris Pine makes a suitably dashing prince.

The problem with the film is it is so bitty. One moment Rapunzel is hanging her hair out of the tower for her suitor to climb up, the next we are deep in the woods with the humble, bumbling baker (James Corden), his infertile wife (Emily Blunt) and a white cow. Then we will be whisked for a few moments to the palace where Cinderella is enrapturing the prince before seeing Jack clamber up the beanstalk. The film has been made with plenty of high spirits but in a very choppy way. Some moments work, some don't. The film-makers aren't exactly lost in the woods but nor do they ever give us much sense that they know or care in which direction they are going.

We saw the Hobbit and it was fine for DD, she has read the book several times but I was worried about the gore!

She really enjoyed it, adults were completely bored though, it was one loooong drawn out battle too many for me.

Saw Into The Woods last night and thought it was excellent. I'm not usually a fan of film adaptations of musicals but this was great. The singing was top drawer. Emily Blunt was fab as the baker's wife, perfectly cast. Meryl did what Meryl does which is excel. It was reallly atmospheric and yes, fragmented but being as on stage most of the action happens simultaneously, not sure what else they could have done. Helps if you know the stage version I guess. Really enjoyed the cheesey, stereotypical princes. My weakest links if I had to choose would be Johnny Depp (still can't forgive him for Sweeney) and young Jack. Too much of a Gavroch about him. I think my 7yr old would have been bored tbh, too much singing for his taste (though an obvious treat for Sondheim fans) a fact confirmed by the youngsters having ants in their pants at the cinema. Great job well done