[5.75/10] Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)

Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)

Brief review: After Tarsem Singh's quirky take on Snow White earlier this year, first-time director Rupert Sanders brings us his darker version of the classic fairy tale. But while his "Snow White and the Huntsman" is bigger in budget and way more ambitious than "Mirror Mirror", it also has more flaws. After a rushed beginning, the uneven first hour of the movie continues to disappoint with clumsy storytelling, poor pacing and many incoherent, badly-edited scenes. Having said that, the movie somehow manages to redeem itself in its second half, becoming brisker, neater and way more entertaining. In terms of visuals, the movie is absolutely stunning to watch, but in a grim sort of way. The rich production design impresses with its imaginativeness and the color palette is appropriately murky. Shot on Kodak 65mm & 35mm anamorphic footage, "Snow White and the Huntsman" also has that authentic, old-fashioned feel about it, but that combined with the gloomy cinematography, makes it look a bit too fuzzy. The acting is hit-or-miss. Kristen Stewart's acting abilities have slightly improved, but it's quite obvious that she still can't overcome her awkwardness. Chris Hemsworth is perfectly-cast for the role, plus, he's strong enough as the Huntsman, without overshadowing the rest of the cast. The dwarfs often steal the show, but the real star of the movie is Charlize Theron, who fully inhabits her royally vicious character.

Overall summary: It boldly flaunts first class production values and darkly beautiful visuals, and the majority of the cast does a solid job, but "Snow White and the Huntsman" is let down by the lack of cohesive narrative, steady pacing and any truly memorable moments.