F or a film called ‘Snow White And The Huntsman,’ there is very little huntsman.That character is mostly absent from this story, or he barely makes an impact when in it – If this film (directed by Rupert Sanders) had instead been simply called ‘Snow White’ or less simply: ‘Snow White And The Seven Dwarves’ it would have made more sense.
I guess it is just cooler to be called: ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ – and perhaps too politically incorrect to be named: ‘Snow White and the seven Dwarves.’
Snow White And The Seven Little People’ just doesn’t have the same ring to it now does it?
Much of what goes on within ‘Snow White And The Huntsman,’ is just like the arbitrary title change. It doesn’t need to be there, and sometimes it’s over the top and hokey, but most of the time it is pretty cool. But like most things that are cool; the effect soon wears off and you realize the superficiality of it all.
This is a superficial film to the point of ridiculousness. ‘Snow White’ has gone through many, many, iterations over time; and it’s message can swing wildly depending on its execution. In this script by Evan Daugherty, John Lee Hancock and Hossein Amini; the message is: good, youthful looks are the most important thing ever. Like ever. Like bathe in a huge tub of milk daily important.
But I’m leaning more to the opinion that this movie isn’t giving out negative messages intentionally. I think it’s just %100 percent empty. This isn’t necessarily a negative – as the movie is clearly intended to be a bit of popcorn fun – and on that level it’s a great success.
Mirror, Mirror on the wall; who is the fairest of them all?
Like…Kristen Stewart apparently.
Jokes aside; Kristen Stewart is very good in the movie. Hemsworth and the rest of the large cast are fine (especially with what little they’re given). The true stars are Charlize Theron as the wicked queen, and the seven dwarves themselves.
A lot has been made about the filmmaker’s decision not to cast little people in the roles – we won’t go into that. I’ll just review the movie I saw – The cast they’ve gotten to portray the dwarves are amazing: Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Nick Frost, Toby Jones, Eddie Marsan, Johnny Harris and Brian Gleeson – it’s an impressive list!
Not only do they share a wonderful chemistry between each other, they’re also a great special effect. They imbue the film with some much needed comedy moments – in what is mostly a really dour and humorless affair.
Charlize Theron, chews scenery like crazy – and her performance is a highlight of the movie for sure. There is also an interesting edge to her queen; with the film more than suggesting that she’s a lunatic. Implying that even the ‘Magical Mirror on the wall’ is nothing but her hallucination. It’s a great addition that provides a little bit of depth during a seemingly pointless stretch in the middle of the movie.
Speaking of hallucinations; so much of the film is rooted in a psychedelic haze; from the design, to a needless (yet entertaining) acid/mushroom drug trip Snow White goes under when entering the dark forest – to the behavior of the fairies and magical creatures. I can’t wait for the academics to come out and read the entire movie as a ‘drug trip gone bad metaphor.’
That is reaching a bit far… it’s just best to say the design work is great. There’s just a lot of cool imagery, and the cinematography is excellent.
With ‘Snow White And The Huntsman;’ Sanders has made a fine popcorn film. It’s not much more than that – and it doesn’t need to be – If anything, it’s miles ahead of Tim Burton’s ‘Alice In Wonderland‘ and that was a film that tried the same thing. A film that tried to update a classic fable for the modern age and failed.
See ‘Snow White And The Huntsman‘ for an example of how to do it successfully.
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