The Queen is Dead (Again): Striking visuals can’t save Snow White and the Huntsman

The second cinematic retelling of the Snow White fairytale to come out this year, Snow White and the Huntsman has certainly fared better at the box office than its predecessor, Mirror, Mirror. Snow White and the Huntsman earned $56 million over its opening weekend while Mirror, Mirror made a paltry $18 million, in part because it went up against The Hunger Games. While Mirror, Mirror suffered because it was too soft, Snow White and the Huntsman is hardly a work of great art.

British director Rupert Sanders’ film is visually stunning as it uses computer-generated graphics to depict the wicked ways of an evil queen, but it’s got little else going for it. Sanders puts a spin on the classic story, suggesting Ravenna (Charlize Theron), who tricks the widowed King Magnus (Noah Huntley) into marrying her after he defeats the artificially created army that held her captive, was compelled by the fact that men had treated her badly her entire life. This twist, however, doesn’t jumpstart the storyline. When Ravenna is crowned queen, she immediately kills Magnus and imprisons his daughter Snow White (Kristen Stewart), sending the kingdom into a period of darkness.

When Snow White escapes into the enchanted forest, Ravenna sends the town huntsman (Thor’s Chris Hemsworth) to find her. He tracks her down quickly but realizes Ravenna has set him up for failure and tries to save Snow White from her clutches, befriending a group of militant dwarves in the process. All the while, Ravenna keeps herself looking good by literally sucking the youth and beauty out of the town’s young girls. It’s not giving anything away to say that the film culminates in a brutal battle between Snow White and Ravenna.

Though the battle scene has epic qualities, the real problem here is that while Theron plays Ravenna with real rage, Stewart doesn’t muster up the same energy as Snow White as she rallies the troops to take on her nemesis. The casting of Stewart likely appeals to Twilight fans but it doesn’t service this bland retelling of the story.