Why did they think it was necessary to introduce surprising plot twists into the classic tale of E.T.A. Hoffman's "The Nutcracker & the Mouse King," or its more familiar iteration, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker ballet?

Sure, we all know how it ends, but it's the journey, not the destination, that makes this story so timeless.

Not so, according to writer Ashleigh Powell and directors Lasse Hallstrom and Joe Johnston! Stories today must have surprises! Heroes must turn villainous, and the bad guys most definitely must turn good!

Their version of the story, retitled The Nutcracker & the Four Realms, doesn't pretend to be either of its original incarnations, although fragments of Tchaikovsky's unforgettable music do appear here and there to remind us that, yes, this is based on a classic. Loosely based, to be sure.

The movie stars Mackenzie Foy as Clara, Morgan Freeman as Drosselmeyer, Helen Mirren as Mother Ginger and Keira Knightley as the Sugar Plum Fairy. (There's a somewhat superfluous character that is supposed to be the nutcracker, but he's not a nutcracker, so I'm not counting him.) That's a lot of talent to bring to bear.

But, while the movie might find favor among children who don't know the story, that's more about polish than substance. Certainly, for all its faults, the production is stellar and I cannot fault the cast for their performances. It's a gorgeous setting, and the movie -- visually speaking -- is a pleasure to watch.

But it's more Narnia than Nutcracker. It's bland. And it's ultimately forgettable.