13 September 2012

Review: Snow White & the Huntsman (Movie)

As many of you know, I love fairy tale retellings, so it was a no-brainer that I was looking forward to seeing the movie Snow White & the Huntsman.

For whatever reason, I missed the movie in the theaters, but now I'm glad I waited because the BluRay, DVD, digital, and UltraViolet Combo Pack of the film was released this week, which contains both the theater edition and the extended version of the movie. The BluRay disc also includes several exclusive special features, for example, "Reinventing the Fairytale" and "The Magic of Snow White & the Huntsman."

The cast is amazing, and a ton of stars appear in the film, such as Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Stewart, Sam Claflin, Ian McShane, and Bob Hoskins. The acting was well done, making the relationships among the characters, especially between Snow White and the Huntsman, believable. The sword fighting and the evil step-mother's magic were pretty intense, but the movie had lighter moments as well.

I loved the sets, which straddled the line between fairy tale and medieval. The forest was appropriately spooky, and the special effects enhanced the fantasy world without pulling you out of the story.

Be aware that this is not the exact same story as told in the animated Disney movie. Snow White & the Huntsman is a grownup reworking of the Brothers Grimm tale. Although the movie retains many of the familiar features, such as the magic mirror and the dwarfs, there are new elements to Snow White's story, which keep the plot fresh.

In the special features on the BluRay disc, the production staff and the cast talk about the development of the screenplay, some of the filming techniques, and the personalities of the characters. All the bonus films are worth watching.

Mr. BFR and I both liked Snow White & Huntsman and are looking forward to the next Snow White movie.

Just in case you don't know how a fairy tale works, Think Jam has provided a terrific guide to help you stay alive. Click on the poster at the right to enlarge it, and you'll learn the seven things you need to avoid as well as what you must seek out if you want to survive long enough to find your happily ever after. Feel free to print yourself a copy so you'll be prepared next time you're chased by an evil queen.


Thanks to Think Jam for the review copy of the film and the graphics in this post.

16 comments:

Joanna 9/13/12, 6:56 AM  

I'm so glad you reviewed this, I wasn't sure if I wanted to see it or not but now I definitely will! I'm looking forward to the fresh bits you mention, I'm glad that they added more to the story.

bermudaonion 9/13/12, 7:22 AM  

That's probably not the movie for me, but I bet my sister would love it.

Daryl 9/13/12, 7:43 AM  

I am sure we will be watching this as soon as Netflix sends it .. thanks for the teaser!

Beth Hoffman 9/13/12, 10:18 AM  

Whoa, the trailer is amazing. I loved the flash of black feathers blowing off the woman!

Carrie K. 9/13/12, 10:22 AM  

One of my best friends and I are planning a movie night with our teenage girls to watch this one soon!

Literary Feline 9/13/12, 11:28 AM  

I've been wondering about this one and am so glad you reviewed it. I will have to see if I can find it on Netflix and give it a watch!

SF 9/13/12, 11:34 AM  

I felt that this movie was more about visual impact than storytelling. The narrative structure was disjointed and incomplete--arguably nonexistent. Not sure what this means about the movie industry and its audience...

It was definitely aesthetically striking, however, and I found it entertaining on a minute-by-minute basis. :)

Unknown 9/13/12, 12:12 PM  

I was kind of reluctant to watch this movie because of Kristen Stewart’s role as Snow White but my husband really wanted to see this movie to I gave in. I have to say that I was honestly surprised by this movie and its ability to take such a sweet and turn it into such a sinister story. We rented the movie through Blockbuster @ Home and it showed up yesterday for us to watch. It’s a real time saver since I don’t have to hunt the movie down at the kiosks. I started using the service after a suggestion from a Dish co-worker. The special effects are out of this world and to see Charlize Theron as a fantastic villain was a real plus for the movie. I was also taken aback at how easy it was for Kristen to get into this role. She redeemed herself a little bit by not being the one-expression character she plays in the Twilight saga. The only thing I didn’t really like was the ending but over all it was a good movie.

Sheila (Bookjourney) 9/13/12, 12:35 PM  

I have been wanting to see this one. They were actually remodeling out theater when it was out and yes, we are a one theater town...LOL. I do plan on renting it soon!

Sandy Nawrot 9/13/12, 12:48 PM  

I took my daughter to see it and she liked it, but she is 14. I went to see Hemsworth! :) Kristin Stewart just can't seem to wipe that look off her face like she is in misery, or smells something bad. She was pretty lame. It was a far stretch for me to imagine her being the fairest and charming animals. Visually though, it was a gorgeous movie.

Zibilee 9/13/12, 3:45 PM  

I saw this movie with my daughter as well, and though I liked it, I didn't love it. Some of the special effects were really great, but I had been hoping for a little something more.

Chinoiseries 9/14/12, 5:42 AM  

I'm not sure if I want to see this movie. If I do, then it's for Charlize Theron and the others, not Kirsten Stewart. UGH.

Athira 9/15/12, 8:20 PM  

I forgot that I missed this movie in the theater! I will have to rent the DVD and am quite looking forward to it.

Jenn's Bookshelves 9/17/12, 8:37 AM  

I completely forgot about this movie! Thanks for the reminder; I'll definitely be checking it out!

Julie P. 9/17/12, 5:50 PM  

I've heard some mixed reviews for this one. Not sure it's my cup of tea, though.

Kim Foster 9/19/12, 2:17 PM  

Oh, agree totally. I saw this one in the theaters because I love fairytale retellings, too. Charlize Theron made a breathtaking villain and I enjoyed the darkness in this film/story.

(Awesome fairytale infographic, by the way.)

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