Snow White and the Huntsman

When I saw the trailer for Snow White and the Huntsman I immediately put it on my "must see" list and I'm glad I did. This movie satisfied pretty much every criteria I have for me to call a movie "good" and this movie is just that, good. There's a heroin. It's finally a solid performance by Kristen Stewart, someone who has made me wonder in the past just who she has pictures of in the industry because this girl really cannot act and yet continues to get work. I'm not saying this movie makes up for all the horrid Bella Swan performances but it's a good start. There's a hero. Well there's actually two but only one with the kiss to wake the dead and that's Chris Hemsworth. Fresh off his second stint as Thor in The Avengers, Chris does an excellent job as the grief stricken, reluctant hero. And then there's the villain and she's amazing in this movie.

Everyone knows just how talented Charlize Theron is, she's an Oscar winner for crying out loud. This performance does nothing to diminish my opinion that not only is she one of the more beautiful women walking the earth today, she is also one of the most talented actors as well. While there may have been a little over acting once or twice, it wouldn't surprise me if she were to get an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Ravenna. Much like Will Smith in MIB3, Charlize Theron carries this film right up to the very end. Dircted by first time director (that's right ladies and gentlemen, this is his directorial debut) Rupert Sanders, the movie has an impressive and satisfying visual feel. The Dark Forest is truly dark and it's counterpart Sanctuary is truly alight with golden sunlight and fairy dust. Rupert did well thanks in large part to the great cast he had to work with.

Outside of the three main protagonists already listed the rest of the cast is made up of the likes of Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Eddie Marsan, and Toby Jones. Talk about a list of accomplished actors and they are only the dwarfs. Lesser known Sam Clafin plays the other hero William, Snow White's childhood friend and the talented Sam Spruell plays Finn, Ravenna's creepy obedient brother. To say Rupert did a magnificent job his first time in the directors job would be putting it lightly. Now just because you have a great cast does not a great movie make, you need a good story and who doesn't know the story of Snow White? This take on that fairytale is slightly different though.

This time around you get the sense that Ravenna has lost her mind since she's the only one the mirror talks to, voiced by Christopher Obi. She's convinced that eating her stepdaughters heart will keep her beautiful and give her immortality. Finn is sent to fetch Snow who has been imprisoned in the tower for most of her life. She escapes Finn's clutches and flees into the dark forest. Ravenna wants someone who knows how to navigate the dark forest to find Snow and bring her back. Chris is hired for the job and makes quick work of it because the Queen promises him something he wants more than gold. Basically this aint't your grandma's Snow White (sorry, I just always wanted to say something like that).

Beautifully shot from the sky to the ground by cinematographer Greig Fraser there isn't a frame of Snow White that's off. Scored lushly by James Newton Howard who seems to be back on his game after his truly bad score for The Hunger Games, a score that was directionless and forgetful. This time around he creates gentle and frightening themes along with heroic charges. The score is both dark and light which fits the images perfectly. I highly recommend this movie and think it's one worth seeing even if you despise Kristen Stewart. Go see it for Charlize because believe me, she's worth the price of admission all on her own and I'll see you at the theater.