SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

A lot of filmmakers have been taking popular fairytales and turning them into action/thrillers. The Walt Disney production company is best known for creating the best animated adaptations of beloved fairytales. This is why there must have been some skepticism when people found out that all the fairytales we loved when we were young are being given a dark twist. How can Snow White possibly become an action heroine? However, those skeptics soon vanished as I watched this.

The film begins with Snow White as a young child (Raffey Cassidy) and, due to an unknown illness, her mother (Liberty Ross) dies so her father, King Magnus (Noah Huntley) remarries. Unfortunately, things take a dark turn when Ravenna (Charlize Theron) kills the King on their wedding night and locks Snow White away in the tower. The film is set approximately 16 years later after these events and Snow White (Kristen Stewart) is now a grown woman. She soon realises that Queen Ravenna is using young women to keep her youth and she's next. Fortunately, she escapes. This is where the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) comes in. Like in the fairytale, the Queen sends him out to retrieve Snow White but, in a twist, the Huntsman ends up protecting Snow White and the two must now work together to form a team and defeat the evil Queen.

In my opinion, I think this is a great way to twist the original tale. The Disney animation is beautifully told, but all Snow White does is sing and lie lifelessly in a coffin until her Prince wakes her up with a kiss. Kristen Stewart gives a fresh portrayal of the princess. When she escapes, she is afraid and clueless to the outside world. Fortunately, by befriending the Huntsman, she becomes more brave as the film goes on. Hemsworth is brilliant as the Huntsman (wielding an axe instead of a hammer), who, due to the loss of his wife, has become a drunken widow but, after meeting Snow White, he goes from killing to protecting her. There is no Prince, but there is a love interest for Snow in the shape of William (Sam Claflin), who was friends with her as a child. However, the standout performance is, of course, Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen. She has no mercy and is incredibly vain. She steals the youth from others in order to stay young herself. She'll stop at nothing until she has Snow White's heart, which, according to the Magic Mirror, will give her youth forever.

It also wouldn't be an adaptation of Snow White without involving the Dwarves in some way. They are played by various well known actors including: Ian McShane as the main dwarf, Beith; Bob Hoskins in, sadly, his last performance as the eldest dwarf, Muir; Ray Winstone as Gort; Nick Frost as Nion; Eddie Marsan as Duir; Toby Jones as Coll; Johnny Harris as Quert and Brian Gleeson as Gus. The dwarves are there to give comic relief as the basis for this film is dark. 

This was released at the same time as Mirror Mirror, another fresh take of the story, however I would say that was mainly aimed at younger viewers. I wouldn't recommend allowing young children to watch this. While it is as 12A, there's still some heavy violence.

Overall, I think that this is a great take of the story of Snow White. 

7/10
Read my review of 'The Huntsman: Winter's War' here.