Review-Snow White & The Huntsman

I decided to do "The Cabin In The Woods" tomorrow as a Freaky Friday, so today you get "The Wooden Girl And The Hun...Snow White & The Huntsman"! This is one of those rarities when I bought a movie having not seen it on the recommendation of others. See how that went in the tilt.

Here we have a retelling of the classic Snow White tale just with a take that makes it easier to swallow for modern audiences, so I won't bore you with a summary of the plot.

Snow White & The Huntsman (2012)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1735898/

Technical (4) - A competent job from the director, although I feel like we've tread much of this ground before. At times it reminds you of LOTR and others Harry Potter (the Queen is a Dementor!) which is ok, just those movies did it so much better. I absolutely have to dock a whole point for something I will discuss in the Acting section, but I have to place the blame on the director. The costume design and set design are really spectacular, especially on the Queen. What really makes it stand out is the CGI. It is really well done and has some very intriguing and inventive things going on like the "glass warriors" and the Dwarves.

Dialogue/Story (3) - Everything here is pretty competent if not a little random and overly sappy in parts. There are a few holes such as: If all she's gotta do is suck some girl dry, why is she old and crumpled on the floor until she just up and remembers "The Dungeon!"? Or why didn't she try this shape shifting crap earlier? What the hell is this unicorn and what the hell is it to tell us that Snow White is actually Neo? Minor quibbles, but stuff I think about none-the-less.

Acting (2) - Here's where it all kinda falls apart. You have a great cast of actors (including some really great people as the Dwarves) with one glaring exception, but they're told by the director to "ham it up" or "over act". That's the only explanation I can understand, because with the exception of Hemsworth and Stewart (more on that in a sec), that's what you're getting. It's especially notable in Theron who is known for being understated and never over-the-top campy. Here she's chewing scenery like she absolutely needs it to survive. Stewart is actually kinda refreshing here because she shows TWO EMOTIONS!!! That's right people! SHE SMILES...TWICE. And then broods most of the rest of the time. Bitch can't even look scared when she's supposed to. Ugh. I can't with her anymore.

Tilt (3) - Despite all this, I really didn't think the movie was all that bad. It was what it was meant to be: a "popcorn flick". Something you watch to pass the time and then forget once it's over. Not meant to be scrutinized. So that's why I'm pissed I bought it. I won't watch it again. And how the hell are they gonna make 3 of these?

Total Score (3)

And for the record, I haven't seen "Mirror, Mirror" yet. But I will.