This is Snow White's year, I'm not sure why, but we've had two theatrical movies released about the classic tale: Mirror Mirror(which was considered a bomb) and Snow White and the Huntsman. Snow White and the Huntsman obviously got the better advertisement, looking much darker and having a more popular cast. I didn't see Mirror Mirror, but I have to admit that when I saw the trailer for Snow White, I really did want to see it. Charlize Theron is a wonderful actress and pulled in one of cinema's best performances of all time playing serial killer Aileen Wuornos. When I saw her in this movie, I was taken back, she looks breath taking gorgeous still and who the heck would ever be considered "more fair" than Charlize Theron
Kristen Stewart? Now I think it's silly the way people are reacting to her staring role because of their hate for Twilight, I by no means hate Kristen, I'm not a fan of the Twilight series, but these people are still actors who have potential and are not given the best material to work with. I want to give Kristen a chance because she seems like she wants to spread her wings and really enjoys acting, but alas, the girl needs to find a different job or talent. Snow White wasn't exactly what it could've been, it could've been a great retelling of the classic fairy tale.
Snow White is the daughter of King Magnus. After his wife's death, King Magnus falls in love with beautiful Ravenna after rescuing her from the Dark Army. The two are married but Ravenna - who is in fact a powerful sorceress and the Dark Army's master - kills Magnus on their wedding night. As Ravenna seizes control of the kingdom, Magnus' most trusted knight attempts to help Snow White escape the Castle but fails when she is captured by Ravenna's brother. Snow White is then locked away in the dungeons while Ravenna uses her Magic Mirror, who promises to help her become "the fairest of them all". Fifteen years later, Ravenna learns from the Mirror that a now-grown up Snow White is destined to surpass her and that she must consume the young girl's heart in order to become immortal. She orders Finn to bring her Snow White but the princess escapes. Now with the help of a huntsman, Snow White meets some friends along the way to help restore the kingdom to what it once was and destroy the evil queen.
The thing about Snow White that I think a lot of people were thinking as well was that Charlize was going to be the one to steal the movie, but instead while she has a chilling presence about her, she must have taken an acting tip from John Travolta in Battlefield Earth on how to act because her performance was so over the top. When she gets crazy and starts screaming, most people in the audience were giggling and I found myself smiling too just because it was too over the top and if I were a character next to her, I would ask "umm, do you need some Midol and a nap?", her screaming just couldn't be taken seriously. Then we are given some attempt at a great back story for her as the evil queen, how she came across the spell because of her family that's it, they leave the story at that. Well, how did she become evil? How did she take over other kingdoms? Was she stalking Snow White's family to take over their kingdom? Nothing is ever answered. Kristen Stewart's performance is very under acted and again, why can't this girl close her mouth?! Her expressions are the same in every scene and you can't take her seriously when she shouts her inspirational speech to her people and keeps stuttering.
Stories are presented and never explained or brought up again: the love story between Snow White and the Huntsman is brought up but never expanded to more than one kiss when Snow White dies. Prince William, why wasn't he the one Snow White was destined for? Then I feel awful for dwarf actors, we have average size actors shrunk down. Not to say I don't love Bob Hoskins or Nick Frost, but Warwick Davis owns an agency dedicated to short actors, why not just hire real dwarfs? The CGI and cinematography are very beautiful but the CGI is used way too much and seems like someone just wanted to be like "look what I can do with a computer!". The plot holes: why can't the queen shut up and kill Snow White when she has 15 opportunities instead of talking about it? If she's so powerful, why can't she make herself appear in front of Snow White and kill her? Why couldn't she go to Snow White's chamber herself and kill her? I guess we wouldn't have a movie then. I just would recommend this as a rental, it wasn't anything special and over all very disappointing because of our lead actresses. It could've been better, but I'll stick to my animated Disney version for now.
5/10
Snow White is the daughter of King Magnus. After his wife's death, King Magnus falls in love with beautiful Ravenna after rescuing her from the Dark Army. The two are married but Ravenna - who is in fact a powerful sorceress and the Dark Army's master - kills Magnus on their wedding night. As Ravenna seizes control of the kingdom, Magnus' most trusted knight attempts to help Snow White escape the Castle but fails when she is captured by Ravenna's brother. Snow White is then locked away in the dungeons while Ravenna uses her Magic Mirror, who promises to help her become "the fairest of them all". Fifteen years later, Ravenna learns from the Mirror that a now-grown up Snow White is destined to surpass her and that she must consume the young girl's heart in order to become immortal. She orders Finn to bring her Snow White but the princess escapes. Now with the help of a huntsman, Snow White meets some friends along the way to help restore the kingdom to what it once was and destroy the evil queen.
The thing about Snow White that I think a lot of people were thinking as well was that Charlize was going to be the one to steal the movie, but instead while she has a chilling presence about her, she must have taken an acting tip from John Travolta in Battlefield Earth on how to act because her performance was so over the top. When she gets crazy and starts screaming, most people in the audience were giggling and I found myself smiling too just because it was too over the top and if I were a character next to her, I would ask "umm, do you need some Midol and a nap?", her screaming just couldn't be taken seriously. Then we are given some attempt at a great back story for her as the evil queen, how she came across the spell because of her family that's it, they leave the story at that. Well, how did she become evil? How did she take over other kingdoms? Was she stalking Snow White's family to take over their kingdom? Nothing is ever answered. Kristen Stewart's performance is very under acted and again, why can't this girl close her mouth?! Her expressions are the same in every scene and you can't take her seriously when she shouts her inspirational speech to her people and keeps stuttering.
Stories are presented and never explained or brought up again: the love story between Snow White and the Huntsman is brought up but never expanded to more than one kiss when Snow White dies. Prince William, why wasn't he the one Snow White was destined for? Then I feel awful for dwarf actors, we have average size actors shrunk down. Not to say I don't love Bob Hoskins or Nick Frost, but Warwick Davis owns an agency dedicated to short actors, why not just hire real dwarfs? The CGI and cinematography are very beautiful but the CGI is used way too much and seems like someone just wanted to be like "look what I can do with a computer!". The plot holes: why can't the queen shut up and kill Snow White when she has 15 opportunities instead of talking about it? If she's so powerful, why can't she make herself appear in front of Snow White and kill her? Why couldn't she go to Snow White's chamber herself and kill her? I guess we wouldn't have a movie then. I just would recommend this as a rental, it wasn't anything special and over all very disappointing because of our lead actresses. It could've been better, but I'll stick to my animated Disney version for now.
5/10