The title of this blog might be harsh, but the high hopes for this movie that I had were really let down. If you go by the track record, Snow White is something best left to Disney. Earlier this year audiences were disappointed by Mirror Mirror and Snow returns to grace the big screen again. The summer movie season always brings high expectations and Snow White has some potential, but just doesn't play.
The story is twisted around and Snow is imprisoned by an evil queen and escapes to reclaim her fathers kingdom. A huntsman is hired after she ventures into the forest and though charged with bringing her in, becomes her protector. She meets Dwarfs, 8 of them, and a rebel army. They all join forces to over throw Queen Ravenna the most evil woman in the land. Sounds like an OK story, but the problem begins with the cast.
The film does incorporate several favorites from the Snow that most of us grew up on. Her with the various animals, the apple, dwarfs, and of course the mirror and prince. Kind of. The altered story isn't bad, but it feels longer than it actually is. Rupert Sanders does an OK job of giving this film and epic scale with beautiful shots of the land, but I think they are wasted on a story without heart. I am sorry, but Kristen Stewart is a horrible actress. She is Bella Swan in a Snow White dress. I would've loved to have seen an actress with more depth take on Snow. My choice would've been Nina Dobrev from The Vampire Diaries , but that didn't happen. Stewart is too awkward for Snow and her lack of depth really shows during her speech to rally the troops.
While Stewart might fail, Theron shines. I liked her as The Evil Queen and it's a shame that a good villain is wasted on a sub par movie. She does a great job of giving the queen heart and making you dislike her at the same time. The big problem is only little girls will fear her and that makes it tough for an adult Snow White.
I would have liked to see her with a better supporting cast of minions. She is good when she shares the screen with Hemsworth, but she carries Stewart and it shows. The huntsman is an OK character. They try to get into the back story and develop him, but I feel like this character has been done before and done better. Helmsworth need not worry for he hath another Thor on the horizon and seems to have already owned the summer as an Avenger.
Let's talk about the Dwarfs. All eight of them join the cause. Yes there are eight most likely due to a little Disney conflict. Some will say that they are the best part of the movie, but I will disagree. Bob Hoskins, Ray Winestone, and Ian McShane are easily recognizable and do well with what they are given. They cannot use the name "Doc," but Hoskins wheres the "bird like " mask of a medieval doctor. I spent more time trying to figure out who each dwarf was supposed to be based on their Disney counterpart than I did enjoying their screen time.
This movie had a lot of the right ideas, but they were not executed correctly. You are stuck being torn between the Prince, who isn't a prince and the Huntsman. They changed a classic story and I am OK with that, but this movie drags on. Snow is fresh out of a 13 year prison sentence, but can grab a sword, put on some armor, and lead an army. It just doesn't play. I feel for any fantasy movie. Peter Jackson set the bar too high with Lord Of The Rings and like Conan, Narnia, and so many others, Snow White and The Huntsman fails to reach the bar. Bad casting and a story that fails to deliver. If you are dying for a movie fix this weekend, see The Avengers again. You won't be disappointed. Snow White fans will always have the original or ABC'S Once Upon A Time.
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