Directed by:
Rupert SandersCinematography:
Greig FraserComposer:
James Newton HowardCast:
Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Nick Frost, Sam Spruell, Toby Jones, Eddie Marsan (more)VOD (5)
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When the evil queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) learns that her stepdaughter, Snow White (Kristen Stewart), has surpassed her as the fairest in the land and will eventually become ruler of the kingdom, she recruits a huntsman, Eric (Chris Hemsworth), to take Snow White into the woods and kill her. The Magic Mirror (Chris Obi) has assured Ravenna that if she eats Snow White's heart, she will live and reign forever. But the Huntsman takes pity on the girl, and instead of killing her he takes her under his wing and begins to teach her the arts of war. With the help of the Huntsman, seven dwarves and her handsome young suitor, Prince William (Sam Claflin), Snow White sets out to vanquish the Evil Queen and put an end to her tyrannical rule. (Universal Pictures UK)
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Reviews (12)
This film holds together thanks to Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart, who are not only nice to look at and turn in decent performances, but are also great casting choices. The same applies to the other actors, from Sam Spruell’s Breivik-like villain to a group of dwarves, among which at least Ray Winston can only be recognized by his voice. Surprisingly, Chris Hemsworth, as the Huntsman, gets very little space given that he plays one of the titular characters and his relationship with Snow White doesn’t work too well (once again, given that it’s the title of the film). The dwarves’ lack of humor is also surprising. The film is excellent in the first third, which is dominated by the deliciously evil and cold Charlize Theron (Eva Green’s cold bitch from Dark Shadows can’t hold a candle to her). Overall, the film is not flat, it has a certain drive, is engaging and full of fantasy charm and darkness. The great visuals and J. N. Howard’s soundtrack are not surprising, as they were to be expected. The Lord of the Rings inspiration probably cannot be avoided, but the references to The NeverEnding Story were a nice surprise and suggest that the screenplay of the latter film’s Hollywood remake is already taking shape on someone’s desk in the city of angels. The film is too long; its second half should have been shorter and more dynamic. Overall, however, it’s still better than the childish The Chronicles of Narnia or the plastic Golden Compass.
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Exactly on the boundary between a dark fairy tale and cautious fantasy, but personally I was hoping for something a bit more elevated. The situation occasionally has to be explicitly saved by the beautiful Kristen Stewart and the warrior Chris Hemsworth, for whom the roles of unruly and vulnerable heroes will be a career destiny. James Newton Howard (and Florence+The Machine) fantastically reign in the soundtrack, fantastic creatures appear cautiously in regular doses, and passages like walks through the enchanted fairy forest can take your breath away for long minutes before anything happens, so what's the problem? For me, it's clearly with the queen. I simply didn't find Charlize Theron her evil queen convincing with her performance and portrayal of the character throughout the entire two hours, whether she was bathing in milk or menacingly threatening whomever she wanted, I was just nervously fidgeting and waiting for any kind of change. Rupert Sanders makes appealing alterations to notoriously well-known plot moments (though he doesn't fully execute that crucial and most anticipated change until the end), but in the very end, the overall impression remains too half-hearted.
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At the beginning I was surprised at how much I was enjoying it (I wasn’t expecting anything from it), but as the minutes went by, the enthusiasm waned and I ended at around 4/10. Nice visuals and a demonic Charlize aren’t enough to carry 127 minutes with a stupid script, a wooden Snow White and an unremarkable prince.
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Great fragments, but a dramatic structure very blown away (hi ho, hi ho, we come to XY, we enjoy ourselves and then they attack us), no explicitly breathtaking moment, very solid craftsmanship, but affected by the effort to sell everything to all available senses at once. For me, it lacks a bit of finesse and stronger mythology, which would combine all the much dispersed influences - for example, when the dwarves sing an "Irish folk song" and Snow White prays to God, I do not know where I actually was. Some mandatory "mighty bloody battle" phrases strongly reside here (I would cut off hands for Snow White's monologue before the final battle). On the other hand, from an acting point of view, it is absolutely excellent, and if there is something that really excites beyond sensory intoxication, then it’s the well-chosen representatives of key roles (perhaps only Kristen gets a big life lesson from the predatory milf Charlize). Sanders certainly has a knack for playing with the viewer - I'm quite curious how his broadly targeted fantasy product will fare. Overall, I fluctuate between amused distance and enthusiasm - especially where this dirty girl dares to be really dirty and more daring than the polished genre competition. Unfortunately, the enthusiasm did not come despite a few good flashes. P.S. When The Witcher is filmed in Hollywood, Chris Hemsworth should be given the role of Geralt. The guy has style...
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The awesomely beautiful Charlize and her initial intro get you almost immediately. And they don’t leave you for the entire movie. Sanders has a firm director’s hand, superb visuals (beautiful when required, dirty if needed) and everything ticks over nicely. The production design looks appropriately high-flown and has the requisite Lord of the Rings gilding. Kristen is great, but it seemed to me that he spoke too little for the main protagonist and draws very little attention to himself. Chris Hemsworth rocks again in the role of an inebriated hunter with a troubled past, and the meticulously cast dwarves were welcome and added a pile of laughs. Howard’s music is a pleasure to listen to. This is more or less what I had imagined it was going to be. Hail the Queen!
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