Certain stories get told repeatedly and there’s a reason for this: they’re good.
The olde European folklore made famous by the Brothers Grimm continues to entertain us to this day. Our current example and second incarnation of the tale this year is Snow White and the Huntsman.
This is a darker and more mature version of the story: An evil and powerful Queen usurps a throne, imprisoning the fair Princess. A kingdom turns to ruin. The Princess grows up, escapes and leads a rebellion against the Queen, but not before making new friends, finding her own power and falling in love. Can Snow White inspire her people and win back the throne?
Can she even survive the magic and mystery of the Dark Forest?
Can this film carry an epic treatment?
We say, It’s the best film about Snow White in the last seven weeks.
Mr. Howe was unable to attend this film, as he was held captive by seven dwarfs and I couldn’t afford the ransom. In his place I took my lovely wife, Dawn.
TAYLOR: I was very pleased with the approach of this movie. It was dark, serious and set an appropriate tone for a tale of such grand scope.
It’s a story of murder, power, greed, vanity, love, magic and death. The problem was one of casting, Snow White (Kristen Stewart) while not exactly ruining the movie, at the very least slows it down.
This is supposed to be an epic adventure of extremely contrasted characters with emotional depth. Stewart fails to deliver the magic or the power that dwells inside Snow White.
DAWN: Kristen Stewart doesn’t embody the description of Snow White, as she is supposed to be the fairest in the land, not look like a skinny teen who smokes too much.
TAYLOR: The wicked Queen, (Charlize Theron) delivered the goods with vanity and desperation. She was needy, cruel, mad, bad and dangerous to know. Theron can act and she is actually beautiful, unlike the contender for the title of “fairest in the land.” Snow White, it was noted, held her beauty inside.
DAWN: Chris Hemsworth (the Huntsman) was virtually indistinguishable from his Thor character, in terms of style. He runs around smashing things and has an accent. It’s not a bad performance, it’s just more of the same.
TAYLOR: There were some great locations. Very moody and damp forests, the castle on the ocean unfortunately the cinematography was lacking. For the first time in any movie
I’ve reviewed, there were shots out of focus. Perhaps it was too misty. Also, some shaky camera syndrome in the battle scenes bothered me, as it always does. I presume this is to be expected in the Braveheart of Snow White stories.
DAWN: The computer graphics were well done and believable. The transformation of actors such as Nick Frost and Ian McShane into the seven dwarfs was flawless.
Magical forests, fairies and nasty beasts alike looked great and we’re treated somberly. This movie will satisfy serious fairy tale lovers.
Taylor gives Snow White and the Huntsman 2.5 poison apples out of five.
Dawn gives it two buck teeth out of five.
Snow White and the Huntsman is currently playing at the Pen Mar Cinema Centre in Penticton.
Brian Taylor and Peter Howe are movie reviewers that live in the South Okanagan.