Fairy tale with a difference

Snow White and The Huntsman (2012)
Certified: 12
Duration: 127 minutes
Directed by: Rupert Sanders
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Sam Claflin, Lily Cole
KRS release

Of all the recent spate of modern retellings of classic fairy tales, Snow White and the Huntsman is probably the most accomplished.

Influenced heavily by Alice in Wonderland and the Lords of the Rings trilogy, this film offers a lot of spectacle that will keep audiences sated until Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit makes its way to our screens Christmas time.

Its mix of sword and sorcery, fantasy and the classic elements of the Grimm fairy tale (rotten apple, dwarf fans, etc) make for great cinema outing.

When the King saves Ravenna (Charlize Theron) from the dark hordes to quickly marry her, he is not aware that it all forms part of a dark scheme.

He ends up dead at her hands and his daughter Snow White (Kristen Stewart) is locked up in a tower.

Ravenna, aided by her brother Finn (Sam Spruell), soon lays the kingdom to waste, ruling with an iron hand.

She often looks into her magic mirror asking it who is the most beautiful of the realm.

One day she discovers that her stepdaughter is fairer than her but learns that if she took her heart, she will gain immortality and eternal beauty.

Thus Finn is sent to retrieve Snow White but she escapes into the Black Forest.

With the forest being immune to Ravenna’s powers, she decides to send The Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to find her and bring her back.

When he realises he had been duped, he decides to help Snow White and they go deeper into the forest.

Here they are joined by Snow White’s friend from her childhood days, William (Sam Claflin), and a band of dwarves who help them to right the kingdom and thwart the queen’s plans.

Kristen Stewart makes for a different kind of Snow White, who is miles away from the picture perfect-coiffured girl who sits waiting for the prince to come and kiss her.

This is more of a Joan of Arc character who is not afraid to put on armour and lead an army to save her kingdom.

A major change in the storyline is the role of The Huntsman. Chris Hemsworth of Thor fame once again plays the action role quite well. Ms Theron, who in an interview said that her interpretation is inspired by Jack Nicholson from the classic The Shining, seems to be having a ball and provides a lovely face to what is deadly evil.

The fantasy elements in the film are enhanced with a look that is inspired by Tolkien and some elements that are very Japanese in spirit.

The latter include the meeting in the woods with an elk spirit and the faerie woods, reminiscent of a favourite film of mine, Princess Mononoke (1997). Rupert Sanders shows a steady hand in his directorial debut. He opts for the standard epic feel and the cinematography is impeccable.

His scenes of Ravenna descending into a bath of white milk; black birds filling the screen; a white horse galloping; and an apple rotting away make for effective imagery.

Every time the film ventures into the magical forest, it simply takes your breath away.