Director: Rupert
Sanders (1)
Cast: Charlize Theron (2), Kristen Stewart (3), Chris Hemsworth (4),
Sam Claflin (5), Lily Cole (6)
My favourite quote - "I used to hate her. But now I feel
only sorrow."
If you were in the shoes of Snow White, would you be able forgive
someone like Ravenna? Someone who murdered your father, imprisoned you, and
made your people suffer.
When Kirsten Stewart's Snow White was first seen on screen as an
adult, she we see her reciting the Our Father. I was really surprised. But it
lead me to think about the act of forgiveness, which is one of the messages in
the film.
In truth, the film has few lines that really struck a chord with
me to really be called my favourite. However, the lines "I used to hate
her. But now I feel only sorrow." did resonate with me and made me
think about the theme of forgiveness.
I have always said that I can forgive someone who has hurt me, but I
will never forget that the person has hurt me. On top of that I will find it hard to trust
that person again. What about you are you the forgive and forget
type?
The theme of forgiveness is evident in the film through the backstory of both
Snow White and Eric the Huntsman. When it came to the climatic battle between
Ravenna and Snow White, I half expected her to throw down her sword and say
"Kill me and spare the others" and memories of my Sunday bible class
came rushing into my mind. It made me think back to a teaching that "if someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also".
Although I enjoyed most parts of the film, I found myself wondering
when the film would get to the good parts. I think the film did a great job at
establishing the world in this version of the Snow White story. However, I think
that some parts of the film were really too draggy. I think what I enjoyed about the film
were mostly separate scenes that were not always significant to the plot.
**SPOILERS AHEAD**
The scene where Snow White connects and calms the troll down. I loved
the way Kirsten Stewart played that scene. And kudos to the graphics guys. The
troll made me feel as if there were an actor playing the role in a skin tight green
suit, modeling for the 3D graphics guys.
The scene where Chris Hemsworth's Eric cheekily says to Snow White
"So you're back from the dead and instigating the masses. You look very
fetching in mail." That tickled me to no end. I liked that few overtly affectionate words passed between Eric and Snow White. That you could sense and feel their affections for one another grow without much physical intimacy. Another scene that showed this very well was when Eric first
realised Snow White isn't dead. Chris Hemsworth's surprise and
feelings/affection for Snow White was very plain for all to see. I believe his performance said it all as to how his Eric felt about Snow White. And when Snow
White was crowned queen, the way she was looking around for Eric and her
reaction when she see him speaks volumes.
When we first meet Charlize Theron's Ravenna, her performance was
captivating! Snow White's father wasn't the only one seduced by her beauty, I
was enthralled by Charlize Theron's performance. In fact, all the scenes with her made me sit up and pay attention.
**END SPOILERS**
While I wouldn't say the Snow White And The Huntsman to be an awesome
film, I would dare say that some parts of the film I absolutely love and
throughly enjoyed. The concept of the warrior princess and the
vanquishing of the damsel-in-distress type females in such fairytales or
myths are not new. Keira Knightly was a warrior Guinevere in Antoine Fuqua's
King Arthur (2004) as well. But I liked that Kirsten Stewart's Snow White
managed to strike a balance between the victim and the warrior princess. She
matured from a frightened young woman to become the warrior princess that
allowed her to defeat the evil queen. The process may have been long-drawn, but
she got there eventually. And even at the end, she did not revel in the queen's
demise, but felt sorrow for what she had to do.
Now Charlize Theron is an amazing actress, and in the film, what some call
over-the-top and overly exaggerated acting, I call an award-winning
performance. I saw her pain and understood her scorn for men. She was an evil
character that I pitied rather than hated to the core. In truth, I think she
stole everyone's thunder in this film. And you can't fault Kirsten Stewart for
that outcome, because Charlize Theron just nailed her role perfectly.
Chris Hemsworth's performance improves with each role and film I see
him in. His Eric's suffering and self-loath is well-played by Chris Hemsworth.
I almost can believe the chemistry between him and Kirsten Stewart.
Through no fault of the two actors, who I think are good actors on their own. I
don't think they have absolutely no chemistry. But I think theirs is a romance
that is blossoming rather than the typical Disney-style full-blown Romeo and Juliet type romances. By
the end of the film, I still walk away hoping they would finally kiss or fall
head over heels with each other. So Chris Hemsworth and Kirsten Stewart must
have done something right.
Kirsten Stewart. I think she is still in my mind Bella Swan, and this
hinders my ability to see her performance in Snow White And The Huntsman on its
own. She nails some of the scenes in the film spot on. However, the scene where
she tries to rally her people was kinda painful to watch.
All the action in the film is great although the final battle was at
some point pure confusion. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the world that Snow White And The
Huntsman created and look forward to an expansion to the world created by the
film. But for now, I will remember that if Snow White can forgive such an evil
stepmother like Ravenna, then I can forgive the trespasses that has been done
unto me.
(1) This is director Rupert Sanders' first feature film.
(2) Charlize Theron
has acted in films like That Thing You Do! (1996), Mighty Joe
Young (1998), Sweet November (2001), The Italian Job (2003), Monster
(2003), North Country (2005), Æon Flux (2005), Hancock (2008), and Prometheus
(2012)
(3) Kirsten Stewart
has acted in films like Panic Room (2002), Catch That Kid (2004), Zathura
(2005), In The Land Of Women (2007), The Cake Eaters (2007), Into The Wild
(2007), Jumper (2008), Twilight (2008), Adventureland (2009), The Twilight
Saga: New Moon (2009), The Runaways (2010), The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010),
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011), and The Twilight Saga:
Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012).
(4) Chris Hemsworth
has acted in films like Star Trek (2009), Thor (2011), The Avengers
(2012), Red Dawn (2012), and Thor 2 (2013)
(5) Sam Claflin
has acted in film Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011).
(6) Lily Cole
has acted in films like St. Trinians (2007) and Imaginarium of Doctor
Parnassus (2009).
The Eclectic Reviewer
thinks… Snow White And The Huntsman is a film that I would still buy on Blu Ray for the behind the
scenes features and the 'making of' extras from the film. I would watch it more than once or twice or three times, but I
wouldn't rank this film as one of my top 20 favourites. I do however love the
performance by Charlize Theron, Kirsten Stewart and Chris Hemsworth, and that is
why I'd watch it again and again. In the meantime, think about the act of
forgiveness and forgive the parts of this film that disappointed you and focus
on the good in the film. (3 of 5)
