Snow White and the Huntsman
★★★
(2012)
Rupert Sanders’ grizzly adaptation of the Grimm Brothers fairy tale takes a twist on it’s original story and turns the titular Huntsman, who is, in the fairy tale, ordered to take Snow White into the Dark Forrest to die, into her saviour, pairing Mrs White with a burly terribly accented protector. However, an interesting spin on a classic tale isn’t enough to save Snow White and The Huntsman and, although beautiful to look at, exceptionally well designed and wonderfully shot by Bright Star’s Greg Fraser, it sadly sinks due to some flat scripting and an easily cut 20 or so minutes.
Snow White (Kristen Stewart) is imprisoned in a tower in her own castle after her widowed father remarries the beautiful Ravenna (Charlize Theron). Anyone who has seen any of the reincarnations of the classic tale will know that all this happiness ends quite abruptly and the dastardly witch soon takes hold of the land. After escaping many years later from her tower and into the Black Forrest she is pursued by The Huntsman, a drunkard, seemingly half Scottish, axe wielding Chris Hemsworth who has been promised the reincarnation of his dead wife as reward. Before you can say Mirror, Mirror the pair are on horseback together on a quest to end the darkness of the land.
There are some nice touches, including the digitally shortened eight (yup eight) dwarves who read like a British national treasures list of actors including Bob Hoskins, Eddie Marsden, Ian McShane, Nick Frost, Toby Jones and Ray Winston. Though reportedly causing outrage amongst actors of diminutive stature it certainly is a marvel to look at as are production director Dominic Watkins’ wonderful sets and Collen Attwood’s costume design is brilliantly subtle in taking it’s cues from some of Disney’s more iconic pen work in in it’s 1937 animated masterpiece.
Stewart stuggles, still locked in her overly emotive Twilight grimace, but looks strong and confident wrapped in armour in the more physical scenes, Theron is particularly deranged as the vain and soul sucking witch and Hemsworth does his job with charisma and a few raised eyebrows. Ad man Sanders certain has an eye for detail and design. Sometimes this isn’t a good thing; There’s an almost hurtful and pathetically obvious nod to Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke in a pivotal scene of the film.
Surprising, strongly and convincingly made as it is, in making us care for our heroine there is something sorely lacking in Snow White and The Huntsman and, although entertaining, its intentions always feel a little long winded and flat even in the films final battles.
