This is Christmas eye candy on a stick, a Disney confection that is what it is, doesnt try to be anything else, and succeeds on its own terms.

It has an attractive lead in Mackenzie Foy as Clara, the girl with a destiny to fulfill as bequeathed by her dear departed mother.

It is a quest for a key that will unlock her future and requires her to journey the Four Realms, vanquish a villainous Sugar Plum Fairy and bring unison to the Four Realms.

Keira Knightley plays the not so sweet Sugar Plum in full panto aplomb, a sour malevolence hidden under an air head facade.

She misdirects Clara into thinking the real enemy is Madame Ginger, sportingly played by Helen Mirren, who likes a freakish fetish pirate queen .

One of the realms is a winter wonderland and the blizzard wizard is played by Richard E Grant o r should that be Frigid E Grant?

The production values are exquisite – the look of THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS reeks of opulence.

Production designer Guy Hendrix Dyas, Oscar nominated twice before for Inception and Passengers, just might make it third time lucky for his sumptuous eyeball pleasing spectacle.

Costume designer Jenny Beavan already has two Oscars to her name for Mad Max Fury Road and A Room With a View, and could notch another for her exquisite wardrobe here.

Academy award winning cinematographer for La La Land, Linus Sandgren lenses the smorgasbord of chocolate box design make it picture perfect.

James Newton Howard is jaunty and atmospheric with nods, winks and cues to Tchaikovsky.

Directed by Lasse Hallstrom and Joe Johnson, THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS sags a little around the midriff but for nine tenths of its ninety nine minutes it serves its sugar plum premises.