We take apart the Kristen Stewart-starring dark fairy tale Snow White and the Huntsman. Check out Kidzworlds movie review!
By: Lynn Barker
Hell hath no fury like a princess kept in a dungeon for ten years! Kristen Stewart’s Snow White is too busy escaping and leading an army to worry about whether she is “fairer” than gorgeous but mega-evil Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron).
Lips as Red as Blood
The film launches its dark telling of the classic fairy tale with a blood red rose in the snow inspiring a lovely queen to name her child. Show White, as a young girl, is lovely, smart and happy in a beautiful kingdom playing with her BFF William, a Duke’s son. When the queen dies, “Snow’s” dad the king marries gorgeous but secretly witchy and evil Ravenna whose kindness to Snow quickly turns to hate once the king is dead.
Snow White in the dark forest
In the Dungeon and Escape!
When Ravenna’s forces take over the kingdom, Snow is thrown in a dark tower but young William is able to escape, sadly leaving her behind. The kingdom goes from blooming beauty to dead ugly and, years later, Ravenna’s cool golden magic mirror tells her she is no longer the fairest in the land. The only way to remain so is to kill Snow and…ewww eat her heart! Snow knows her days are numbered and escapes into the castle sewer (ewwww) and out to the ocean below.
Send in the Huntsman
Since she has no magic powers in the forest to which Snow has escaped, Ravenna sends someone who knows that area well, a Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) who is a mere shell of what he once was since his wife’s death. On promise of his wife’s magical return from the great beyond, he takes the queen’s “assignment” and chases Snow through a creepy forest until he realizes who she is and starts to like her…. A lot. After various adventures with a village of sympathetic women and a bunch of crusty dwarves, the two are friends.
The Huntsman and dwarves
Into Battle
When William, now grown up and way cute (Sam Claflin) learns that Snow is not only alive but has escaped and is forming an army, he sets out to track her and join her. After several trials, tricks and roadblocks to being reunited, Snow and her childhood friend are joined by Huntsman and dwarves and with the princess leading the Duke’s army to storm the castle, conquer Ravenna and take back Snow’s rightful throne!
Wrapping Up: Snow White and the Huntsman looks amazing; the sets, special visual effects, costumes etc. are imaginative and very suited to the dark story. If you remember the original Disney animated version from video (Snow White and the Seven Dwarves), there were quite a few very dark and scary moments thrown in with the singing and funny dwarf action. Although the dwarves in this film (played with movie magic by famous “big” actors like Ian McShane and others), offer comic relief, the film is mostly serious, desperate and full of action and dark magic.
The middle of the movie slows down the action and story as Snow and Huntsman are trapped in the forest running from Ravenna’s henchmen. There is plenty to look at (including a scary troll and a beautiful fairyland sanctuary with adorable animals and cute tiny flying folk) but no real development of the character relationships. In other words, is the Huntsman gonna make a move on Snow or what? William is still attractive to teen Snow but nothing really moves forward there either. Did the filmmakers think kids and teens couldn’t handle a little real romance along with their effects and cool battle sequences?
Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman
No one is bad in their part but Kristen is most effective when she gives a rallying speech to convince her people to go to battle and not so much in quieter moments. Charlize as Ravenna is better in her quieter more evil moments than she is yelling and chewing the scenery which she does a lot. Chris Hemsworth gets some wonderful, sad and angsty moments as the heartbroken Huntsman and Sam Claflin is likable as the childhood friend who would like to be more.
Despite a few relationship flaws and a little slow drag in the middle, you’ll enjoy this film. It’s a real eyeful. Makes you wanna play dress up (even if you are an older teen), go out and hop on a horse and lead an army to victory. If we had a ½ star, we’d go 3 and one half. As is, we have to go with 3 stars overall…. but effects, costumes..and look of the film get 5!
Snow White and the Huntsman: 
Have Your Say
What’s your favorite part of Snow White and the Huntsman? Let us know in the comments below!
