Snow White And The Huntsman

Snow White And The Huntsman
Release Date: June 1, 2012
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Plot Summary: In the epic action-adventure "Snow White and the Huntsman," Kristen Stewart ("Twilight") plays the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen (Oscar® winner Charlize Theron) who is out to destroy her. But what the wicked ruler never imagined is that the young woman threatening her reign has been training in the art of war with a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth, "Thor") who was dispatched to kill her. Sam Claflin ("Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides") joins the cast as the prince long enchanted by Snow White's beauty and power.

Review: I have been looking forward to watching this movie for a very long time. This movie takes a giant leap away from the Snow White story we all grew up on and ventures into the dark side with this adaptation. A lot of the elements from the original fairy tale are there but Snow White dons a suit of armor and chain mail and gets her hands dirty.

I have to say that Charlize Theron owned this movie.  Her portrayal of the evil Queen, Ravenna outshines everyone.  She is a character you love to hate and she dominates the story.  The movie should have been called The Evil Queen because she is central to all of it.  Charlize Theron delivers an amazing performance of a woman so obsessed with beauty and power that she will do anything to keep it.  She's strong but very weak, determined but ruled by her emotions.

I enjoyed Kristen Stewart's portrayal of Snow White much more than her performance as Bella in the Twilight saga.  She doesn't come across as a dainty girl and if you are looking for singing to the forest animals and keeping house for seven dwarves, you will be disappointed.  This Snow White is made of sterner stuff.  She has been imprisoned in a tower for many years, isolated from the world she once knew with no family or anyone else to support her.  She's clever and though she's young and inexperienced, she possesses a great strength of will and determination.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie is the infamous apple scene.  It carried surprising twists and unexpected outcomes.  The cinematography for this movie was breathtaking and the special effects were amazing.

Chris Hemsworth has been a busy guy so far this year.  I loved him as Thor in The Avengers and lucky for me and the rest of his fans, he's back as the Huntsman.  I loved his performance as the widowed-village drunkard Huntsman.  This is a man who doesn't seem to care for anyone or anything.  He drinks excessively and when we first meet him, he's on the receiving end of an ass whooping.  The Queen promises to bring his dead wife back if he goes into the forest to retrieve her prisoner and though he wants that more than anything, he quickly discovers that the Queen lied and finds himself helping Snow White though he doesn't know who she is.

The dwarves were an unexpected surprise.  None of the "hi-ho hi-ho, off to work we go" crap.  They are tough, tenacious fighters who are more likely to shoot first then ask questions later.  The magic of special effects transforms brilliant actors Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Nick Frost and others into dwarves with attitude.

There were some flaws in the movie.  I didn't find it logical that Ravenna would go the lengths and extremes she does because of men using women and casting them aside.  If there had been a little more detail given into Ravenna's background, it would have helped.  We are given a few flashback memories and a rambling speech right before Ravenna kills Snow White's father, but it didn't cut it.

All villains need minions and Ravenna is no exception.  Her brother, Finn is hers and he's creepy as hell.  There's a scene where he is sent to fetch Snow White that was so disturbing to me.  I had the feeling he's a predator of women and probably children.  I didn't shed any tears when he bought the farm.

Also, Snow White's childhood friend, William was off the mark for me.  This movie lacks a prince.  William's father is a Duke.  That would make William a Marquess not a Prince.

Overall and overlooking these minor flaws, I found Snow White and the Huntsman to be a beautifully made film with intriguing characters, breathtaking locations, exciting battle scenes bringing a classic story to life.

Verdict:  Highly recommended.  I will be adding it to my collection.