I know, I know, I should be writing—chapter fourteen to be
precise—but I need to get thoughts of
Snow White and the Huntsman out of my
head before I start typing away.
I love watching movies, for those of you who are new to this
blog or are passing by. I have countless posts professing my love for the
silver screen. I can’t go a week without watching a movie. It’s part of my
routine.
This week, I got a chance to sit down and watch Snow White
and the Huntsman. Second movie based on the Snow White fairytale out this year.
Big trend—fairytales.
I digress.
I was excited for this latest incarnation. The buzz promised
a darker version of the beloved tale. And who was I to shy away from something dark?
So, with my iced tea in hand and shawl wrapped around my shoulders because the
theater was a little nippy, I waited for the movie to start.
For the most part, I appreciated what the producers wanted
for this film. I commend the movie makers for taking the Snow White tale to a
High Fantasy level. The visuals were stunning. Almost reminiscent of Lord of
the Rings. So, fans of that franchise, will want to see this one.
The journey aspect didn’t sit well with me, though. As with
all high fantasy, there is always a journey the main character takes to get to
his or her destination, which usually entails taking back what was stolen:
power, kingdom, etc. And during this journey, said main character picks up
allies along the way while the villain does everything in his or her power to
stop main character. This, in its most general sense, is what happens in Snow
White and the Huntsman. Those of you expecting the traditional story have been
warned. It’s almost like the story was JRR Tolkien’s take on the fairytale only
no one knows he ever wrote about it. Maybe because he wouldn’t be too proud of
the outcome.
The movie wasn’t that bad, believe me, despite what I write
here. This is just me rambling on to make sense of want I’ve seen. I guess what
turned me off ultimately was the Mononoke Hime reference in the movie involving
the white stag and the bright forest. Where in the world would Snow White encounter a white stag?
Well, maybe if in the Disney Universe Snow White stumbled into Bambi’s movie
for a bit. Is there something I’m missing from the fairytale? Fans of the anime will not be very happy.
What I liked most about the film? Charlize Theron as the
evil queen. That’s an Oscar winning actress for you. She played the role to
perfection. Girl who turns into evil psychotic queen because all her mother
wanted to do was save her. This alone is worth seeing the movie for. And the
costumes she gets to wear? Just magnificent. I have to applaud the costume
designer, even if the rest of the cast had to keep repeating what they were
wearing while the queen had a different dress on in every scene.
The ending I found to be anti-climactic. The build up was so
big that when the climax came along, I was holding my breath for something
spectacular. This is where the high fantasy falls on its face. I don’t think
they had enough extras to play a proper army storming a castle. The big battle
to take back the kingdom wasn’t so big. And the transition between Snow White
being innocent to her wearing armor and wielding a sword leading an army wasn’t
clear at all. How could someone kept in a tower for years have any form of
sword training? It boggles my mind.
And at its core, Snow White is a love story. Remember, only
true love’s kiss can break the spell. Fleeting glances, some witty banter, and
a drunken soliloquy isn’t enough to justify true love’s kiss. I wish there was
more. Even the “love triangle” was half baked to nonexistent at best. I’m a
romantic. I love cheesy. I can cry at the drop at a hat while watching romantic
scenes. But I’m not that gullible to accept what happened in the movie.
So, should you go see it? For the visuals, of course. For
the story, don’t get your hopes up. You already know the fairytale, this is a
spin on it, so don’t expect twists. Appreciate the theatrics put into the movie
and you’ll walk out not too disappointed. It’s not a total waste.
Okay, I’ve written my piece. Now, it’s back to work for me.