M out of 10 review: Snow White and the Huntsman



Image Source

Not a lot of people know this, but the story of Snow White dates back to as early as the 1800s. Over the centuries many different versions would be rendered. The modern day version turns the first animated Walt Disney classic into an epic, dark adventure and far removed from the warm fuzzy feelings of previous movies. Starring Charlize Theron as Ravenna the evil queen, Kristin Stewart as the heroine, Snow White and Chris Hemsworth as the huntsman, this was surely a cast I had to see in action for myself.

This movie is an epic struggle of the queen who murders her king to take over the kingdom and become the fairest of them all. The queen soon discovers that she can only be the fairest once she consumes the heart of Snow White, and sends in the Huntsman to do her bidding. Snow White is the fierce heroine who in the end saves the day.

Visually this movie was frighteningly beautiful, as I had expected. Snow White and the Huntsman was set in Erindale Castle, West Sussex, England. Beautiful regal settings with rich history. This was a feast for the eyes but no less can be expected by the same producers as Alice in Wonderland. I am talking visual effects that really added layers to the movie with a 60-piece choir singing in vocal parts. Florence Welch added awesome musical dimension with her tracks for this flick. Look out for enchanted forests, melting mirrors and distracting dwarfs. You will see what I mean.

Lips, red as blood, hair black as night…
Bring me her heart, my dear, dear Snow White…

Charlize sends chills up and down my spine. Our fair queen, Charlize, perfectly embodied the essence of this character. She was cold, royal, cruel and wicked beyond words.  I loved her performance. She was without a doubt, the BEST in this screenplay and I am not saying it because she is quality export from South Africa. I do feel that the her progression throughout the movie was not very logical and it took too long before she took matters into her own hands. The movie felt very choppy in certain parts.

Image source:

As for Kristin Stewart, I can’t shake the Twilight persona. It is hugely disappointing because I could not help but feel like the awkward Bella Swan had stumbled onto the set of this Snow White. Kristin is Bella until she is cast in a role that takes her out of her comfort zone. There are moments in the movie where she is supposed to have real fair maiden moments and gives an unconvincing speech before charging the enemy. If you are playing alongside Charlize, you have to be able to meet her standards of acting. I feel like Rachel McAdams would have been better suited for this role.

 I would have loved to see more of the huntsman. I was disappointed that I did not see him topless, really. Guarding the heroine is a taxing task and at some point he should have gotten his shirt hooked, torn or something. In all honesty, I think his role was underrated. I feel like it wasn’t well thought through. He was Thor, come on! Although he was supposed to be a brut, it did not come across well. I blame the writers. A kitty compared to the lion in Thor. Also, what is the deal with the weak love triangle? If you are going to include romance, either pursue it fully or cut it. If Bella can kiss Edward, Snow White can certainly smooch the Huntsmen.

If you are into this new genre of classic turn dark fairytales, you will enjoy it without nitpicking too much. On the M10 scale, it gets a 5 for a great attempt but the mistakes adds up to a Mishtery maybe. Don’t take my word for it, see it for yourself.

Release date: 1 June 2012
Director: Rupert Saunders
Screenplay: Evan Daughtery, John Lee Hancock and Hossein Amini
Time: 2hrs7min
Prominent actors: Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart
Genre: Adventure, Action, Drama