Snow White and the Huntsman - 3 smiles

“Snow White and the Huntsman,” starring Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth, is more related to the Brothers Grimm than Walt Disney.  The PG-13 rating should be a clear warning that little ones will find this Snow White too intense. But director Rupert Sanders does manage to impress with visuals that balance light and dark. Like the Dark Forest with its menacing trees that feed on the fears of its hapless victims. Or a gruesome troll awakened from his sleep only to be tamed by beauty’s smile. Or dawn in fairyland, when a blue-eyed sprite awakens from the belly of a dove and Snow White receives a blessing from a magnificent white stag. The story follows a familiar line with a few exceptions: there’s the huntsman (Hemsworth), who’s sent into the Dark Forest when Snow escapes from the castle just when Ravenna (Theron) discovers she must consume Snow’s heart to remain eternally young. And there’s the queen’s brother, Finn (Sam Spruell), whose also chasing Snow. One line of dialogue suggests that Ravenna and Finn had, at one time, a sexual relationship. Finally, there’s the climatic battle when Snow rallies the forces of good to confront Ravenna’s evil minions, but it seems overly rushed to get to the one-on-one fight between Snow and the queen.

Of the major actors, Theron dominates the screen and is the main reason to see this version. Even when Ravenna is pulling a major temper tantrum, she manages to humanize her. Chris Hemsworth offers a low-key portrayal of the Huntsman, using the tragedy that haunts the character to form his every action and decision. It’s effective. However, Stewart’s Snow White is the least interesting character. Maybe it’s because Ravenna has kept her locked away in the north tower for ten years and Snow hasn’t really developed a personality. Or maybe it’s because the director didn’t push her to act. Nonetheless, Stewart seems out of place. The dwarves are portrayed by an impressive crew of veteran and full-sized actors (e.g., Bob Hoskins, Ian McShane, Ray Winstone, Toby Jones, Eddie Marsan) miniaturized by special effects and they’re not part of the story for comic relief. “Snow White and the Huntsman,” greatly enhanced by Colleen Atwood’s awe-inspiring costumes, is part adventure, part tragedy, part love story. And, depending on your perspective, that might be a good thing. 6/1/12