History YMMV / IntoTheWoods

* LoveToHate: The Witch is a horribly nasty individual who treats everyone around her like shit, [[LargeHam but she also gets quite a showcase,]] [[JerkassWoobie is surprisingly sympathetic,]] [[JerkassHasaPoint and occasionally gets to be right.]]

** Rapunzel's prince can come off very differently depending upon how the actor plays his reaction to her insanity, and his reaction to her death can be played as either cowardice or grief.

* FanPreferredCouple: A weird example, as Baker/Baker's Wife isn't ''disliked'', really, but the fandom generally agrees that after [[spoiler:the Baker's Wife dies, after some mourning, the Baker moves on with Cinderella.]] About 90% of the fanfiction ships them.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: Rapunzel being The Baker's Sister is ''NEVER'' touched upon, outside The Baker asking about her briefly at the start of the play. One would assume that since it was a major plot point for the Witch's character, it would also be something that The Baker would ask further questions about. Especially since, to break the curse, The Baker's Wife stole some of Rapunzel's hair. It also doesn't help that The Baker actually witnesses Rapunzel's death, and yet we only focus on the Witch's reaction. Had The Baker's relationship with Rapunzel been explored, it could have helped add to an already great character; instead, it all feels like a wasted opportunity. The fact that she and Cinderella are sisters-in-law is also never touched upon; it would be sweet to see them interact considering they have similar back-stories. This gets worse in the 2014 movie version, where Rapunzel survives and the Baker actually does implore about her whereabouts to the Witch.[[note]]It is possible that they do reconcile after the events of the story, given that the Baker's the narrator in the movie and knows Rapunzel is his sister then. This implies that they could have met up eventually (as Cinderella would probably know a bit about her brother-in-law's wife and help him put two and two together)[[/note]]

* {{Wangst}}: Agony Part 1 is essentially a hammy wangst-off ("Agony!" "Misery!" "Woe!") between the two princes melodramatically comparing their situations with their princesses to the worst kind of pain [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools and it is glorious]].

* FamilyUnfriendlyAesop: The musical added "It's probably not a good idea to marry someone you just met" Aesops to the ''{{Literature/Cinderella}}'' and ''{{Literature/Rapunzel}}'' stories. Cinderella's prince is a philanderer, whereas Rapunzel is somewhat crazy. The only original story Aesop it leaves intact is ''Literature/LittleRedRidingHood'''s Aesop of "Don't talk to strangers," who became a good deal creepier. At the end, we get an Aesop of "Listen to people who know what they're talking about, even if they're witches."

** “Agony” is widely regarded as the comedic high point of the show. The hamtastic battle of wangst between the Princes never fails to be a crowd pleaser.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Lilla Crawford's portrayal of Red Riding Hood in the 2014 movie. As she had only done Broadway before this, many were impressed that she could work so well in front of the camera too - especially at the age of twelve.

** The opening scene, which introduces almost all of the main characters and culminates in the titular number is another top contender.

* SignatureScene: "On the Steps of the Palace" seems to be the most famous of the songs, for its legendary wordplay and fast pace.

* HilariousInHindsight: In the theatre version, it is implied that Cinderella's stepfamily died of starvation while lost in the woods. This is one of only two known productions made since the 1990s that killed them off. The other is ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep'', where they were burned alive in the midst of their MoralEventHorizon.

* NarmCharm: "Giants In The Sky " and Daniel Huttlestone's lisp got some people laughing, but also people calling it "adorable."

* UnfortunateImplications: [[spoiler: The death of the Baker's Wife just after she [[DeathBySex commits adultery.]] Especially since the equally-married prince she commits it with gets off scot free.]]

* AdaptationDisplacement: The musical adapts the lesser known Grimm version of Cinderella - which features the golden shoes, a ball for three nights and a tree at her mother's grave that grants the dress. The general public is more familiar with the Perrault version - which has the FairyGodmother and a ball for only two nights.

* AdaptationDisplacement: The musical adapts the lesser known Grimm version of Cinderella - which features the golden shoes, a ball for three nights and a tree at her mother's grave that grants the dress. The general public is more familiar with the Perrault version - which has the FairyGodmother and a ball for only one night.

** "Prologue: Into the Woods" is amazing onstage, but the 2014 movie version is really something special. Especially at the very end, where all the different voices and lyrics come together and flawlessly harmonize and flow with each other... it's enough to drive you to tears, and for fans of the stage show, this was the first major sign that all their worries about

* {{Wangst}}: Agony Part 1 is essentially a hammy wangst-off ("Agony!" "Misery!" "Woe!") between the two princes melodramatically comparing their situations with their princesses to the worst kind of pain [[TropesAreNotBad and it is glorious]].

* BaseBreaker: Despite his small role, Creator/JohnnyDepp as the Big Bad Wolf in the 2014 movie has been divisive. Some don't mind him and feel he had a good mix of creepy and funny that the role requires but others decry him as the weakest of the cast and he's often compared to Creator/RussellCrowe's jarring performance in ''Film/{{Les Miserables|2012}}''. Not to mention the constant criticism of Depp [[TypeCasting repeating his eccentric roles]].

* AwesomeMusic: This is Sondheim we're talking about.

** One very popular comment about the 2014 movie is that for some reason, Creator/ChrisPine seems far more [[Creator/WilliamShatner Shatner-esque]] as Cinderella's Prince than when he's actually playing [[Film/StarTrek Captain]] [[Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness Kirk]].

* JerkassWoobie: The Witch may be mean, but the interactions with her and Rapunzel...

* EndingFatigue: The 2014 movie version has received complaints that it really should have just been an expanded version of Act 1, especially since some of the darker elements of Act 2 are toned down anyway. Since there is no attempt of translating the story being two separate acts into movie, it also loses many of the powerful parallels of structure and song.

* MemeticMutation: One very popular comment about the 2014 movie is that for some reason, Creator/ChrisPine seems far more [[Creator/WilliamShatner Shatner-esque]] as Cinderella's Prince than when he's actually playing [[Film/StarTrek Captain]] [[Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness Kirk]].

** The 2014 movie adaptation, being a Disney movie musical based on fairy tales. Yes, it's a somewhat LighterAndSofter adaptation of the original stage musical, but the movie still ends with a rampaging giant and the deaths of major characters.
* WinBackTheCrowd: The first trailer for the 2014 movie showed none of the singing and was met with mixed reaction among fans. Later trailers showed the singing and increased anticipation for the movie.

* BaseBreaker: Despite his small role, Creator/JohnnyDepp as the Big Bad Wolf has been divisive. Some don't mind him and feel he had a good mix of creepy and funny that the role requires but others decry him as the weakest of the cast and he's often compared to Creator/RussellCrowe's jarring performance in ''Film/{{Les Miserables|2012}}''. Not to mention the constant criticism of Depp [[TypeCasting repeating his eccentric roles]].

* OneSceneWonder: The Wolf. It's no wonder they got Creator/JohnnyDepp.

** The Baker's Wife is subject to this too. Notable is her [[spoiler: her affair with the Prince]]. Is she a woman who slipped up and realized her mistake? Or is she simply never satisfied with whatever she has?

** Cinderella's Father. In the original production, her father seems to have selfishly abandoned her to his wife and stepdaughters (and quick to change when his real daughter gets to marry the prince), whereas the revival plays him as being "not all there," implying he simply does not realize Cinderella's situation. The film version avoids this issue by killing him off. Cinderella's Mother-In-The-Grave gets this, too. The original plays her as a StageMom whereas both the revival and the film version plays her lines empathetically.
** The Witch comes across as much more evil in the film adaptation, to the point where Rapunzel seems like just another one of her victims than anything else. While at the same time one could also look at The Witch's actions towards Rapunzel as an old woman desperately wants appreciation but doesn't quite know how to express it properly.
** The Baker's Wife is subject to this too. Notable is her [[spoiler: her affair with the Prince]]. Is she a woman who slipped up and realised her mistake? Or is she simply never satisfied with whatever she has?

** Creator/EmilyBlunt wasn't nominated for an Academy Award, despite many reviews acclaiming her as one of the best, if not ''the'' best, part of the film. She ''was'' nominated for a Golden Globe, but that was the biggest award she was nominated for.

** "Prologue: Into the Woods" is amazing onstage, but the film version is really something special. Especially at the very end, where all the different voices and lyrics come together and flawlessly harmonize and flow with each other... it's enough to drive you to tears, and for fans of the stage show, this was the first major sign that all their worries about

** Rapunzel's fate is averted in the movie. According to Sondheim, he tried to get Rapunzel to die in the film like she did in the play. However, most likely due to the more family-oriented audience, they decided they wanted Rapunzel to live. Some are ok with the change and like her getting a [[EarnYourHappyEnding happy ending with her prince,]] but some argue that Rapunzel's death was very significant for the Witch's arc. Check [[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/sondheim-reveals-plot-changes-for-disney-into-the-woods-film-322631 here]] for the article. A counter point to this says that Rapunzel's death makes more sense in the show - where she's left to fend for herself while pregnant in the desert. In the movie, she's found the next day and so there's less time for her to go mad.
** The removal of a few songs. One song, "No More", is given an instrumental version and [[spoiler:The Baker running away doesn't last for very long. While others argue that it helps the pacing, others retort that it also removes any growth for the Baker. During the song in the stage show, he realizes that by running away, he'd be turning into his father. The film, on the other hand, makes it look like he just needed a moment alone to mourn his wife's death.]] WordOfGod says they wanted to include the song, but it wouldn't make sense with the Mysterious Man's role in Act 1 being removed. To compensate for it, they built on the Baker's fear of turning into his father earlier. It's been debated whether or not it was enough.

* CriticalDissonance: Critics are mixed on the film but overall are leaning more on the positive side. Audiences, on the other hand, are even ''more'' mixed on the film, with a 53% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
* EndingFatigue: The film version has received complaints that it really should have just been an expanded version of Act 1, especially since some of the darker elements of Act 2 are toned down anyway. Since there is no attempt of translating the story being two separate acts into film, it also loses many of the powerful parallels of structure and song.
* EnsembleDarkhorse: Lilla Crawford's portrayal of Red Riding Hood in the film. As she had only done Broadway before this, many were impressed that she could work so well in front of the camera too - especially at the age of twelve.

* MemeticMutation: One very popular comment about the film is that for some reason, Creator/ChrisPine seems far more [[Creator/WilliamShatner Shatner-esque]] as Cinderella's Prince than when he's actually playing [[Film/StarTrek Captain]] [[Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness Kirk]].

* NarmCharm: "Giants In The Sky " and Dan Huttlestone's lisp got some people laughing, but also people calling it "adorable."

* OneSceneWonder: The wolf. It's no wonder they got Creator/JohnnyDepp.
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: Rapunzel being The Baker's Sister is ''NEVER'' touched upon, outside The Baker asking about her briefly at the start of the play. One would assume that since it was a major plot point for the Witch's character, it would also be something that The Baker would ask further questions about. Especially since, to break the curse, The Baker's Wife stole some of Rapunzel's hair. It also doesn't help that The Baker actually witnesses Rapunzel's death, and yet we only focus on the Witch's reaction. Had The Baker's relationship with Rapunzel been explored, it could have helped add to an already great character; instead, it all feels like a wasted opportunity. The fact that she and Cinderella are sisters-in-law is also never touched upon; it would be sweet to see them interact considering they have similar back-stories. This gets worse in the film version, where Rapunzel survives and the Baker actually does implore about her whereabouts to the Witch.[[note]]It is possible that they do reconcile after the events of the story, given that the Baker's the narrator in the film and knows Rapunzel is his sister then. This implies that they could have met up eventually (as Cinderella would probably know a bit about her brother-in-law's wife and help him put two and two together)[[/note]]

** The film adaptation, being a musical Disney film based on fairy tales. Yes, it's a somewhat LighterAndSofter adaptation of the original stage musical, but the film still ends with a rampaging giant and the deaths of major characters.
* WinBackTheCrowd: The first trailer for the film showed none of the singing and was met with mixed reaction among fans. Later trailers showed the singing and increased anticipation for the film.

** "Agony" is a SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}} for the first act, but then the reprise in the second act is even funnier.

** The removal of a few songs. One song, "No More", is given an instrumental version and [[spoiler:The Baker running away doesn't last for very long. While others argue that it helps the pacing, others retort that it also removes any growth for the Baker. During the song in the stage show, he realizes that by running away, he'd be turning into his father. The film, on the other hand, makes it look like he just needed a moment alone to mourn his wife's death.]] WordOfGod says they wanted to include the song, but it wouldn't make sense with the Mysterious Man's role in act one being removed. To compensate for it, they built on the Baker's fear of turning into his father earlier. It's been debated whether or not it was enough.
** The shortening of the 2nd act overall. They cut a lot compared to the first act. It either still contains what made the message of the original or it lessens it.

** Oh, it's a cheery musical with all of our favorite fairy tale characters together! Then Act Two comes around, most of the characters get killed by a rampaging giant, and suddenly it's not so cheery anymore. The show has enjoyed myriad SchoolPlay productions anyway, but as of TheNewTens the show's licensor now offers a "Junior" version for school and children's theater groups that drops the second act.

** Creator/EmilyBlunt wasn't nominated for an Academy Award, despite many reviews acclaiming her as one of the best, if not ''the'' best, part of the film. She was nominated for a Golden Globe, at least, but that was the biggest award she was nominated for.

** The Baker's wife is subject to this too. Notable is her [[spoiler: her affair with the Prince]]. Is she a woman who slipped up and realised her mistake? Or is she simply never satisfied with whatever she has?
* AwardSnub

** Creator/EmilyBlunt wasn't nominated for an Academy Award, despite many reviews acclaiming her as one of the best, if not ''the'' best, part of the film.

* BaseBreaker: Despite his small role, Creator/JohnnyDepp as the Big Bad Wolf has been divisive. Some don't mind him and feel he had a good mix of creepy and funny that the role requires but others decry him as the weakest of the cast and he's often compared to Russell Crowe's jarring performance in ''Film/{{Les Miserables|2012}}''. Not to mention the constant criticism of Depp repeating his eccentric roles.

----

** The original production lost the "Best New Musical" award to ''Theatre/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', and many theater snobs are salty about it to this day.

* AwardSnub: Creator/EmilyBlunt wasn't nominated for an Academy Award, despite many reviews acclaiming her as one of the best, if not ''the'' best, part of the film.