Based on the Brothers Grimm fairytale, Snow White And The Huntsman is grim in more ways than one. It’s dark and edgy to be sure; but it’s also disappointing.
I received a text message from a friend before I saw Snow White, which read nothing but “snow white = fail.” (I’m glad I was given this warning prior to watching the film, as I’d had high expectations.)
It’s not a complete ‘fail’, but unfortunately, while this take on Snow White is darker and more complex than the original performance, it is undermined by bipolar performances from its stars, a poor script and problematic pacing.
The film has no internal consistency and seems to be a pastiche of other stories that it’s trying to imitate: the love triangle from Twilight; the sweeping landscapes from Lord Of The Rings; the uncomfortable undertones of incest from Game Of Thrones (yep); and the modern musings, but ultimately underdeveloped themes that deal with vanity, a-la the earlier Snow White production this year, Mirror Mirror.
However, the set design, costumes, and cinematography all are ravishing. As is Chris Hemsworth, while I’m noting admiration of aesthetically pleasing things (and, er, objectifying the male form). There are enough glorious visuals to keep you looking at the screen, but not enough of the cerebral stuff to make this worth watching more than once.
