Attempting to tell a darker, more "adult" version of the classic Grimm tale, Snow White and the Huntsman succeeds far more than it fails. First time director Rupert Sanders brings a great aesthetic vision to the film, with some truly creative visual sequences and an overall aesthetic that is rather exceptional for a major studio film. The dark forest being particularly great, with some inventive camera work and experimental-type techniques that really bring these particular sequences to life. As visually impressive as Rupert Sanders is for a first time feature filmmaker, the action sequences leave something to be desired. It suffers somewhat from the "Bourne Identity" editing techniques where the action sequences don't feel particularly real and are confusing for the viewer. Charlize Theron is definitely a highlight, and the interpretation of evil queen is a lot of fun. I will say, I think Theron's portrayal went a little overboard at times, almost overacting, but this could have been the directors fault more than her own. Going into the film, I had no idea how many amazing character actors make up the dwarfs (Bob Hoskins, Ian McShane, Ray Winstone, Eddie Marsan), but besides a sweet little performance by Hoskins, they are definitely under-used. I've heard a lot of criticism about the length of this one, but honestly I had absolutely no problem with it at all, and found the pacing quite good. Really, the biggest problem of this film is the terrible miscasting of Kristen Stewart as Snow White. Stewart feels very out of place in this film. Surrounded by a lot of strong caliber actors, she really doesn't feel like she belongs in the time period. Snow White and The Huntsman is far from perfect, but as far as big budget studio films go, this is one of the most visually inventive, interesting films so far this summer. 7.5/10
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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