Snow White and the Huntsmen

Directed By:
Rupert Sanders

Produced By:

Laurie Boccaccio

Who? Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Bob Hoskins

WHAT: A fierce reinterpretation of the Snow White Fairy Tale - with a kingdom under fierce magical suppression and Snow White the one thing standing between the kingdom and complete spiritual and emotional defeat.

WHAT I LIKED
I really enjoyed watching Kristen Stewart, a trained method actress, not be in love with a stupid vampire for once. Under an actual director, she seemed to bring through some of her method training - which I think was evident in the first scene of the movie.

Also, Charlize Theron, arguably one of the most beautiful women of her time, playing an aging queen who is obsessed with keeping her beauty alive by any means necessary, and at all costs. Hers was a delicate and complex performance. There were many opportunities for her to be campy in this performance, and she didn't take any of them. This was a real character and a real performance!

A rising star, Chris Hemsworth, the same guy who played Thor, plays the huntsman, a true-to-life drunk who exhibits some fighting skill once he sobers up a little bit. And then, of course, the dwarves played by the likes of Bob Hoskins and other famous actors. My favorite part with them is when they are all around a camp fire after they first meet. After gazing upon Snow White, one even alludes to being aroused- that is something that was definitely NOT in the cartoon.

The best part of this movie, though, to me, was the art direction and the costuming. Theron makes a statement in every scene with her lavishly royal garb meant to accentuate both her beauty and her power, which it does very well. Theron, who sometimes plays ordinary or ugly characters, like in the movie "Monster", has not been this "fair" in a movie role in a while . .One costume piece has multiple chains coming down from a crown. Very creative and alluring!

Also, the whole sequence when Snow White trips into the dark forest - that was very convincing, and well done, and scary.

Snow White's progression is from being locked away in her old kingdom to an eventful escape, thus becoming a symbol of hope for the entire kingdom, and she leads troops towards conquering the evil queen.

For some brief moments, I felt pangs of hope and saw traces of political symbolism allegoy as Snow White began to rally her troops, but they were drowned by poor editing and a lack of pace on behalf of the director. And many of ther performances were a bit botched or wasted because of poor editing as well.

Snow White's relationship with the degenerate, yet heroic huntsman, reminiscent of Han Solo, was smoldering - and it could have been developed a little more.

Overall, this film stays with the viewer long after it is over, as a sort of brave celebration of one of our society's favorite fairy tales . . . now . . . is it the fairest interpretation of all time ?. . .that is not mine to say, for I am not the mirror on the wall and I haven't seen the one with Julia Roberts!

Rating: 3 Mike and Ikes