2.5/5
The storyboard has taken over the role usually reserved for the script. Instead of creating solid characters and using them to navigate a story, Hollywood's newest trend is to create a world, creatures, costumes, etc. and set up visuals in which to drop in some soulless characters whose only function is to take us from one cool looking place to another. The entire premise of 'Snow White and the Huntsman' revolves around the heart's triumph over surface beauty, yet ironically this movie relies solely on art direction. There is no heart.
The film deviates from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale only in tone and in certain plot developments. For the most part it follows the same structure. So, I feel no need to tell you the story except to say that the Queen has a brother whom she uses as a right-hand man, the Prince is replaced by the Duke's son, and the Huntsman is a romantic interest. If you've seen the trailer, you already know the visual splendor of the film, so I won't go into that except to say it is very imaginative in that department.
It is not imaginative, however, in its use of characters, and the acting is less than amazing. Charlize Theron spends much of her screen time screeching when she should be controlled, vicious, sly, and understated. She plays fear rather than power and it's an unfortunate choice. I was hoping to say her performance saved the picture, but it doesn't come close. Kristen Stewart is too demure to play a kick-ass version of Snow White, and she is certainly not fairer than the Queen. That's not a slight on Kristen Stewart, but the fact is there is none fairer in the land than Charlize Theron. Besides that, however, Stewart comes across as stoic and dreamy. I don't know what she's fighting for. I don't know anything about her character at all. Nothing. She and Chris Hemsworth, as love interests, have no chemistry. There is nothing going on with them, no reason to want to see them together, no sex, no intrigue, no passion. I'm not even sure they know anything about one another, which dampens the impact of emotional sequences near the end. Sometimes I wonder if writers in Hollywood still understand the concept of relationships. You see, you have to set up an intriguing relationship between two people first, before you set up the prospect of the parties not being together. Otherwise, why should we care?
The dwarfs are played well enough, but they have nothing particularly special about them. They aren't individuals. They're the dwarfs. Although greatly simplified, one quality of the Disney 'Snow White' that makes it so memorable are the individuality of each of the seven dwarfs. They are their own person and it was satisfying to grow to love each of them for their own quirks and personalities. Unfortunately, the same idea wasn't applied here.
It is possible to have a visually imaginative film that also fully develops its characters. Look at 'Spirited Away,' for Christ's sake. It is the definition of a "visual movie," and its characters are rich and well defined. On that subject, there is a scene of 'Snow White and the Huntsman' that is directly stolen from 'Princess Mononoke.' It is not a coincidence, it is not an homage, it is flat out infringement. It is a moment that takes place with a white stag, and I'm dying for Studio Ghibli to call it out.
No comments:
Post a Comment