There is so much to like here and so much that disappoints. On substances it's fleeting; on form, it's brilliant.
Its ambition is nowhere more apparent than in its remarkable imagery and environment. This stylish twist to the Brothers Grimm's classic tale of betrayal, survival and friendship is a visually stunning embrace of colors and imagination, transporting the audience from one wildly rich world to another, e.g., the opening battlefield of the glass soldiers, the death of nature, the Dark Forest, the women's village and fairy sanctuary. These settings are complimented by competent performances. First, by Hemsworth and his depiction of the tale's newest character – the Huntsman: a widowed, drunkard mercenary who is initially hired to capture and return Snow White but quickly becomes her champion. Unfortunately, as the film progresses, this character, played so effectively by Hemsworth, slowly becomes marginalized. The main course of this film unsurprising is Charlize Theron's portrayal of the infamous Queen. Her performance cannot be minimized. At times, she is terrifying, at others genuinely sorrowful but always arousing. Her performance along with the imagery almost saves this film. And despite its diversion from the original tale, the writers cleverly maintain the traditional landmarks of the original, e.g., the dwarfs, the poisonous apple and the magic mirror. Preserving these landmarks was essential because nostalgia, I'm sure for too many viewers, was the driving force in experiencing this film.
What undoes this film is the chaotic way its story progresses. The narrative more and more veers away from Theron and Hemsworth and begins to overbearingly focus on Stewart. A talented cast was present here. It was just foolish to place them on the sideline and hand the baton to Stewart and ask her to carry this baby cross the finishing line. In the end, this film devolves in a cheap medieval-type fiasco, where we have Stewart hilariously leading soldiers to battle. Obviously, the conclusion provided in the original was more rewarding.
Its ambition is nowhere more apparent than in its remarkable imagery and environment. This stylish twist to the Brothers Grimm's classic tale of betrayal, survival and friendship is a visually stunning embrace of colors and imagination, transporting the audience from one wildly rich world to another, e.g., the opening battlefield of the glass soldiers, the death of nature, the Dark Forest, the women's village and fairy sanctuary. These settings are complimented by competent performances. First, by Hemsworth and his depiction of the tale's newest character – the Huntsman: a widowed, drunkard mercenary who is initially hired to capture and return Snow White but quickly becomes her champion. Unfortunately, as the film progresses, this character, played so effectively by Hemsworth, slowly becomes marginalized. The main course of this film unsurprising is Charlize Theron's portrayal of the infamous Queen. Her performance cannot be minimized. At times, she is terrifying, at others genuinely sorrowful but always arousing. Her performance along with the imagery almost saves this film. And despite its diversion from the original tale, the writers cleverly maintain the traditional landmarks of the original, e.g., the dwarfs, the poisonous apple and the magic mirror. Preserving these landmarks was essential because nostalgia, I'm sure for too many viewers, was the driving force in experiencing this film.
What undoes this film is the chaotic way its story progresses. The narrative more and more veers away from Theron and Hemsworth and begins to overbearingly focus on Stewart. A talented cast was present here. It was just foolish to place them on the sideline and hand the baton to Stewart and ask her to carry this baby cross the finishing line. In the end, this film devolves in a cheap medieval-type fiasco, where we have Stewart hilariously leading soldiers to battle. Obviously, the conclusion provided in the original was more rewarding.