This film has style, it might lack in other areas but it definitely delivers in the visuals. The sets are grand and beautiful, the Queens palace is made up up sharp edges, dark corners, they look like the Grim Reaper would be right at home here. And the lush greenery of the fairy land is stunning also, and fantastic contrast to the darker areas.
The cinematography is also brilliant, every shot is framed for optimum beauty and the lighting in every scene looks great. The special effects aren't quite the realism of Prometheus, but are twisted and Gothic, Charlize Theron turning into a flock of ravens and monsters made up of shards of black glass, look particularly good.
But visuals cannot make the film alone, the story - despite being known by everyone - sags around the half way mark, even with action coming thick and fast. The reason why this part of the film drags is lack of character development and a very poor portrayal of Snow White by Kristen Stewart. The lack of character development of the "good guys" is fatal to the overall film, none of the leads seem to have any interest in one another and their interaction seems forced. Chris Hemsworth (despeite being named in the title of the film) is barely used and just goes through the motions with the film. But nothing is as bad as Miss Stewart, though a step up from the Twilight films, just doesn't convince and bores more than anything. Her expressions don't vary and her dialogue is just painful (especially her camaraderie speech), plus her accent is lost in the clouds, god knows where she was supposed to be from.
On this front its saving grace is the ever wonderful Charlize Theron, whose performance is a tour de force of evil. But she weights the character and makes her amiable as well as malevolent. Even her voice sends chills, with an ageing depth and tone, her stare shooting daggers at anyone who dare cross her. The middle section is lost with no input from Theron, which is why the film falls so many marks.
Had Snow White and the Huntsman had been more savvy in the casting of Snow White and given the film more excitement in the middle section, the film would have been brilliant. Though the film is no car wreck, it just feels like an overlong and but very pretty piece of popcorn fodder.
The cinematography is also brilliant, every shot is framed for optimum beauty and the lighting in every scene looks great. The special effects aren't quite the realism of Prometheus, but are twisted and Gothic, Charlize Theron turning into a flock of ravens and monsters made up of shards of black glass, look particularly good.
But visuals cannot make the film alone, the story - despite being known by everyone - sags around the half way mark, even with action coming thick and fast. The reason why this part of the film drags is lack of character development and a very poor portrayal of Snow White by Kristen Stewart. The lack of character development of the "good guys" is fatal to the overall film, none of the leads seem to have any interest in one another and their interaction seems forced. Chris Hemsworth (despeite being named in the title of the film) is barely used and just goes through the motions with the film. But nothing is as bad as Miss Stewart, though a step up from the Twilight films, just doesn't convince and bores more than anything. Her expressions don't vary and her dialogue is just painful (especially her camaraderie speech), plus her accent is lost in the clouds, god knows where she was supposed to be from.
On this front its saving grace is the ever wonderful Charlize Theron, whose performance is a tour de force of evil. But she weights the character and makes her amiable as well as malevolent. Even her voice sends chills, with an ageing depth and tone, her stare shooting daggers at anyone who dare cross her. The middle section is lost with no input from Theron, which is why the film falls so many marks.
Had Snow White and the Huntsman had been more savvy in the casting of Snow White and given the film more excitement in the middle section, the film would have been brilliant. Though the film is no car wreck, it just feels like an overlong and but very pretty piece of popcorn fodder.