Snow White and the Huntsman

We have lots to catch up on.  I know I've been somewhat MIA lately, but I'm back and I have quite a bit to say.

As for Snow White and the Huntsman, a synopsis seems kinda pointless.  I would hope that the majority of the population would have at least heard of the fairytale Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.  For those of you who aren't familiar with the fairytale, well, I'd be curious to know what your childhood was like - and if I were you I'd buy the animated movie pronto!!!  As much as I respect Charlize Theron, she wasn't enough to carry this film by herself.  And it wasn't for a lack of trying.

Without meaning to sound harsh, the movie wasn't all bad.  I mean, the visual effects were really interesting to watch.  I enjoyed the dark and sinister landscape, as well as the tone of the entire film.  Honestly, if I was going to give credit to just one group, it would be the visual effects team/set design. As for the costume design, that didn't go unnoticed either.  Very impressive, especially with the Queen's outfits. 

Now let's get to the acting, since we all know that is usually what makes or breaks a film.  I wanted more from Theron's character, the evil Queen.  She seemed like a very static character, not quite developed or deep.  In my opinion, the evil Queen is a character you could really explore - make her someone you could sympathize or empathize with.  Theron's version of the Queen was disturbing, but its effect was fleeting.  She stood as a prop to move the plot forward, rather than a dynamic character to give the story some life.  They threw in a pathetic attempt at giving the Queen background story, but it felt unexplored and last minute.  As for Kristen Stewart, she wasn't horrible.  Usually, I just want to smack her for entering the acting biz, but I was content this time.  I'm still convinced that almost any other female actress her age would have done a better job, but I guess because she looks the part and she was in Twilight, the film industry overlooks her... flaws (to put it kindly).  Now, I acknowledge that she has been a decent actress in the past, but some roles she should just stay away from - like anything that involves romance or sadness.  Anyways, to sum up Kristen Stewart in a word: mediocre.  Moving on to Cutie (a.k.a. Chris Hemsworth), I'm always impressed at how he can alter his Aussie accent in almost every movie he's in.  Not many actors can do that so well.  I thought he did all he could do with the role he was given.  Again, not too much depth to his character, but that's not his fault, nor is it Theron's fault.   Other than that, he can do no wrong.  I think he's a pleasure to watch, and not just because he's nice to look at.  The dwarfs were entertaining to watch as well, and they actually brought some excitement to the film, especially during some of the more boring scenes.  I'm actually quite grateful for their appearance in the film, otherwise I might have fallen asleep.

Let's talk about the plot for a minute.  There are a few scenes that just show the characters traveling, with light music in the background.  To sum up: too many, too boring.  I noticed that in one of the scenes they are walking through snow and Snow White miraculously has a jacket.  Huh?  I don't remember her having a jacket. How convenient - just saying.

To move on, I want to talk about the pathetic attempt at romance.  What the hell was that?! It was so random and so pointless.  I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but trust me, don't get too excited.  It's not like they actually go anywhere with it.  They should have done themselves a favor and left romance out entirely.

Okay, let's end this.  So I think this movie had a few redeeming qualities such as the visuals, but the script and the plot need a serious rewrite. With more developed characters, certain actors could have taken this movie further and I would be writing a slightly different review.  I give this film 6.2/10 for the visual effects that made scenes interesting to watch.