In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen.
Sanders, whose far-from-embarrassing film could well be a hit, might show greater promise when he comes up with some of his own ideas, rather than devoting his huge budget and genuinely impressive craft expertise to polishing up other people’s.
A visually inventive, deliciously dark fairytale reheat. The story’s far from the stuff of legend, but Theron makes for a ferocious meanie, helping to flush away Mirror Mirror’s sugary aftertaste.
A strong visual style tussles with flaccid storytelling in this ambitious retelling of Grimm. It won’t exactly have Walt Disney spinning in his secret ice chamber, but you may wish they spent more time worrying about what exactly the film is than who it’s for.
Snow White and the Huntsman easily comes out on top in Hollywood’s latest round of needless rival versions of the same story.
The impressive production and costume design and often nifty special effects surely deserved a script that made marginally more sense.
The premise may be familiar but it’s spruced up by some killer special effects. This time, Snow White is no victim but a warrior princess. If the story gets sluggish in the middle, the film is redeemed by the dwarves – I kid you not – Ian McShane, Ray Winstone, Eddie Marsan, Brendan Gleeson, Nick Frost, Toby Jones and Bob Hoskins.
Snow White proves a decent swashbuckler at the climax, the picture looks impressive and it’s appealing young cast should ensure it has more chance of catching on with the public than the lame Mirror, Mirror.
The result is tangled and overblown.
If there has to be a next time - which it hints that there may be - then less of the huntsman please and more of the dwarves.
I'm at a loss as to who's going to enjoy it.
The film is a muddy, bloody, violent, overlong sword-and-sorcery affair. Shot on lowering locations in Wales and Ireland, it's stronger on special effects than on magic.
Easily the classiest of the bunch.
The film entertains in spite of its flaws.
Although the story palls when the delectably evil Theron is off-screen, it moves well between fantasy, action sequences (with Stewart ably adopting the strut of a Joan of Arc) and comedy.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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